Study Suggests AliveCor KardiaBand for Apple Watch Can Be Used With AI Algorithm to Detect High Potassium

[MacRumors]

AliveCor, the company that makes an FDA-approved EKG band for the Apple Watch called KardiaBand, teamed up with the Mayo Clinic for a new study that suggests an AliveCor EKG device paired with artificial intelligence technology can non-invasively detect high levels of potassium in the blood.

A second study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic also confirms the KardiaBand's ability to accurately detect atrial fibrillation.

AliveCor's KardiaBand​

For the potassium study, AliveCor used more than 2 million EKGs from the Mayo Clinic from 1994 to 2017 paired with four million serum potassium values and data from an AliveCor smartphone EKG device to create an algorithm that can successfully detect hyperkalemia, aka high potassium, with a sensitivity range between 91 and 94 percent.

High potassium in the blood is a sign of several concerning health conditions, like congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes, and it can also be detected due to the medications used to treat these conditions. According to AliveCor, hyperkalemia is associated with "significant mortality and arrhythmic risk," but because it's typically asymptomatic, it often goes undetected.

Currently, the only way to test for high potassium levels is through a blood test, which AliveCor is aiming to change with the new non-invasive monitoring functionality.

AliveCor says that the AI technology used in the study could be commercialized through the KardiaBand for Apple Watch to allow patients to better monitor their health. Vic Gundotra, AliveCor CEO, said that the company is "on the path to change the way hyperkalemia can be detected" using products like the Apple Watch.

For the Cleveland Clinic study, cardiologists aimed to determine whether KardiaBand for Apple Watch could differentiate between atrial fibrillation and a normal heart rhythm. The researchers discovered that the KardiaBand was able to successfully detect Afib at an accuracy level comparable to physicians interpreting the same EKGs. The Kardia algorithm was able to correctly interpret atrial fibrillation with 93 percent sensitivity and 94 percent specificity. Sensitivity increased to 99 percent with a physician review of the KardiaBand recordings.

KardiaBand, which has been available since late last year, is available for purchase from AliveCor or from Amazon.com for $199. Using the KardiaBand also requires a subscription to the AliveCor premium service, priced at $99 per year.

AliveCor premium paired with the KardiaBand offers SmartRhythm notifications, unlimited EKG readings, detection of atrial fibrillation or normal sinus rhythm, and unlimited cloud history and reporting of all EKGs.

Article Link: Study Suggests AliveCor KardiaBand for Apple Watch Can Be Used With AI Algorithm to Detect High Potassium

 

[Apple_Robert]

This is promising news. Seeing articles like this makes me glad that I purchased the Apple Watch, even if it can't currently do all that we would like right now.

 

[708692]

+1 for making me google the differences between an ECG and EKG.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

We're at the precipice of many great and wonderful things from the Watch.

 

[Craiger]

You have to subscribe to use the hardware?? Screw that!

 

[riverfreak]

+1 for making me google the differences between an ECG and EKG.

Very few people know or understand or even care about the difference.

 

[Apple_Robert]

You have to subscribe to use the hardware?? Screw that!

Compared to one's health with issues like this, the yearly fee is pale in comparison.

 

[riverfreak]

But but... the battery life!

Srsly, though, this is very cool merger of technologies. Crowd, cloud, AI, health. Expect lots, lots more of this.

 

[mikethemartian]

I was just last week talking to my pet's cardiologist about AliveCor. He has a heart murmur that needs to be monitored but when he goes to the doctor he gets too stressed and so they can't take an EKG (only an echo). This same company makes a home meter that can be attached to an iPhone and there is also a modified vet version of it available.

 

[Attirex]

Tim Cook should be fired for this....?

 

[MrGuder]

How can a band register a reading within your body? Does the band have sensors like the back of the watch? What happens when you sweat or the band gets wet, does it give off a false reading?

 

[Bruce Oksol]

How can a band register a reading within your body? Does the band have sensors like the back of the watch? What happens when you sweat or the band gets wet, does it give off a false reading?

This is very, very clever. The watch doesn't actually measure serum potassium (K+). The company suggests there is a correlation between high serum potassium and atrial fibrillation. The company's software "simply" monitors for changes in an EKG which correlate (91 to 94% of the time) with high serum potassium. This is very, very clever.

 

[Denmac1]

You have to subscribe to use the hardware?? Screw that!

I just came off an A-fib incident. I spent 5 days in the hospital and the total hospital bill was $41,000. Thankfully, with Medicare, my portion was only $1200. Let's see...that would pay for 12 years of monitoring and possibly avoid a hospital stay, which is not a pleasant experience. You are poked and prodded every 4 - 6 hours, are served terrible food and are subject to care that can be interpreted in many different ways, not always good. A-fib has a high stroke risk.
A-fib, in many cases can be controlled, depending on the severity, with proper medication. I was fortunate enough to have a good cardiologist and was able to convert back to normal sinus rhythm with my meds. With advance knowledge, I would have been able to increase my meds earlier and would have avoided the whole 'health care' situation.
Those that have or can suffer from A-fib alone in the US, number over 2 Million. To many of us, this would be a small cost and to me, is a good return on investment.

 

[sparkhill]

+1 for making me google the differences between an ECG and EKG.

They are the same thing.

This is very, very clever. The watch doesn't actually measure serum potassium (K+). The company suggests there is a correlation between high serum potassium and atrial fibrillation. The company's software "simply" monitors for changes in an EKG which correlate (91 to 94% of the time) with high serum potassium. This is very, very clever.

It gets confusing but the serum potassium alogoritm is completely different from the atrial fibrillatin alogoritm. Both are based on the morphology (shape) of the ECG but they look at different aspects of the ECG.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5652040/

 

[708692]

They are the same thing.

Yes. I know that now after doing the Google search.

 

[sparkhill]

Yes. I know that now after doing the Google search.

Saving others from the same search

 

[Piggie]

Apple really needs to get some electronic data connection between the band and the watch body.

100% sure this is going to happen on a future model.
The you can start adding more sensors and perhaps even flexible batteries of the future into the bands.
[doublepost=1520781789][/doublepost]

How can a band register a reading within your body? Does the band have sensors like the back of the watch? What happens when you sweat or the band gets wet, does it give off a false reading?

Well it's quite easy really.

You simply and gently slide these two items into your bottom hole, then the watch can communicate with these devices, now inside your body to get accurate readings!

 

[Schizoid]

Hey Siri, i think I'm having a heart attack... help!

...

"I found a number of restaurants that serve kelp..."

 

[npmacuser5]

You have to subscribe to use the hardware?? Screw that!

You have a medical problem that this hardware and software can monitor and make your life better, amazingly inexpensive. Think about the costs and lost time having the tests done at a doctors office. Also the data collected, invaluable for research that will lead to better treatments and possibly a cure. Already happening that healthcare companies are beginning to see the value by including not only these devices but the Apple Watch in their programs, at little to no costs for the client. You are a bit smug now, when and if you need this type of medical monitoring, you will see the value.

 

[Danbrown521]

How can a band register a reading within your body? Does the band have sensors like the back of the watch? What happens when you sweat or the band gets wet, does it give off a false reading?

When your potassium is elevated a part of the EKG starts to read different than normal. So I’m assuming they go off of that.

 

[sirozha]

They lost me at $99/year subscription fee. I hate subscriptions. I guess for those who have heart problems, this is a good option.

I don't understand why Apple doesn't get into the medical device field. Apple has plenty of money to buy these startups and build a medical-device unit. Otherwise, HealthKit is going the way of HomeKit, which means the competitors will create much better solutions. Apple is coming up with great ideas, but the unwillingness to follow up and instead licensing access to third parties results in mediocre experience. Where is the famed ecosystem, Apple?

 

[newellj]

Compared to one's health with issues like this, the yearly fee is pale in comparison.

But only if there is a medical reason for monitoring for afib.

 

[Apple_Robert]

But only if there is a medical reason for monitoring for afib.

For the most part, that is true. But like with most other electronic gadgets, there will be a very small percentage who buy and use the device without a known history.

 

[RogerWilco]

Right on schedule, another health "feature" rumor to stoke the share price. Far less grandiose than the Car rumors, but hey, whatever gets the job done.

 

[Tech198]

Apple is a compared that just happens o make life easier...

Why should they decide to go full on with incorporating what would others need a needle for, into a electronic device that you wear on your wrist ?

We are still trusting software in the end, compared to a doctor..... The low probability rate of someone else making mistakes is far better than a smart watch.

Bugs get fixed, (in time), but they shouldn't happen in the first place when it comes to medical. leave those bugs for less serious stuff.