Heart rate variability and heart rate patterns measured from wearable and implanted devices in screening for atrial fibrillation: potential clinical and population-wide applications

Importance of detection and screening for atrial fibrillationAtrial fibrillation (AF) in adults is the most common sustained arrhythmia and is, in majority of patients, initially asymptomatic. 1However, AF and its complications contribute significantly and negatively to patients' quality of life as well as cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.Thus, early diagnosis and introduction of appropriate treatment are of great importance to help prevent adverse clinical outcomes.There is an increasing interest regarding new approaches in the screening and detection of cardiovascular conditions, including AF, both in ostensibly healthy subjects and in patients with various risk factors and/or diseases. 1