Can I monitor my Dad's heart condition at night using Fitbit?

[ChrisO_O]

Hi, my Dad suffered from a heart attack around 2 months ago (not a major one, and we were able to act fast as it was daytime and we were with him when it happened) and I was wondering if it is possible to use a Fitbit to monitor his heart condition during the night so that we can be warned if a heart problem arises when he's asleep.  He lives with me so I can keep an eye on him during the day, but the night times worry me.

Is this something I can do with Fitbit or am I barking up the wrong tree?  Thanks

[WavyDavey]

Hi @ChrisO_O,

If it were my father, I wouldn't rely on a Fitbit or any other fitness tracker. They're not rated as medical equipment, and I'd hate for you to be lulled into a false sense of security.

All that said, there are stories of people catching conditions for diagnosis with their Fitbits. It's just not designed for that purpose. Some help, huh? 🙂

[ChrisO_O]

Thanks for your reply.  Yeah I get what you're saying about Fitbit not being designed for this purpose, but it is mostly for my own peace of mind.  I certainly haven't been advised by anyone to invest in any specialist medical equipment, I just though that devices that have heart tracking already may be able to go one step further and detect sudden changes in heart rate and send an instant notification.

Seems like a missed opportunity to me.

[AionTempus · Accepted solution]

When you sync it you could look to see if there was a change in patterns - heartbeat a lot slower one night than another, or really restless sleep, but it's not medical equipment. Think someone here reported they recharged their fitbit one night yet saw 'sleep activity' when they synced it. You can use it as a pointer, but don't rely on it for medical decisions.