Why this watch? This device meets all critical cardiologist-recommended features for your specific health concerns.
If you’re trying to keep your heart healthy, you’re not just guessing anymore. Cardiologists now regularly recommend specific smartwatches-not because they’re fancy, but because they deliver real, clinically validated data that can catch problems before they become emergencies.
Back in 2020, the Apple Watch Series 4 became the first consumer device cleared by the FDA for single-lead ECG. Since then, a handful of other models have followed suit. But not all watches are created equal when it comes to heart health. Some track steps and sleep. Others detect atrial fibrillation, irregular heart rhythms, and even early signs of heart failure. The difference matters.
Here’s what cardiologists actually say about the watches they recommend to patients with high blood pressure, arrhythmias, or a family history of heart disease.
One of the most common reasons patients visit a cardiologist is because they felt their heart skip a beat, flutter, or race for no reason. That’s often atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that increases stroke risk by five times.
Studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2019 and 2022 showed that wearable ECGs caught AFib in 34% of users who didn’t know they had it. That’s not a small number. It’s life-saving.
Cardiologists don’t recommend watches that claim to "monitor heart rate." They recommend watches with FDA-cleared ECG apps that record a medical-grade single-lead electrocardiogram. That means pressing a finger on the crown or side button to get a 30-second reading you can share with your doctor.
Right now, only three watches have this feature approved in Australia and the U.S.: Apple Watch Series 8 and later, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and later, and the Fitbit Sense 2. All three can detect AFib with over 95% accuracy compared to hospital-grade devices.
Most fitness trackers show your heart rate in beats per minute. But that’s just a number. It doesn’t tell you if your rhythm is normal.
Cardiologists point out that a high heart rate during exercise is expected. A high heart rate at rest, especially if it’s irregular, is not. That’s why continuous monitoring alone is useless without rhythm analysis.
Take the Garmin Venu 2. It has excellent heart rate tracking and sleep scores. But it can’t detect AFib. If you’re using it to monitor heart health, you’re missing half the story. Cardiologists won’t tell you to buy it for cardiac reasons.
What you need is a watch that not only tracks your heart rate all day but also flags abnormal patterns. For example, if your heart rate spikes to 150 bpm while you’re sitting quietly, and the rhythm looks irregular, the watch should alert you. That’s exactly what the Apple Watch and Fitbit Sense 2 do.
You might see ads for watches that claim to measure blood pressure. Some even say they’re "FDA-approved." But here’s the truth: no consumer smartwatch can measure blood pressure accurately without a separate, calibrated cuff.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Huawei Watch GT 4 use pulse transit time (PTT) to estimate blood pressure. That’s based on how fast your pulse travels through your arteries. But PTT changes with temperature, stress, hydration, and even how tightly you’re wearing the watch.
In a 2024 study by the Australian Heart Foundation, these watches were within 10 mmHg of a cuff reading only 58% of the time. That’s not reliable enough for managing hypertension.
Cardiologists still recommend a home blood pressure cuff for anyone with high blood pressure. But they’ll tell you to pair it with a watch that tracks heart rhythm-because rhythm problems often go hand-in-hand with hypertension.
Chronic stress and poor sleep are silent killers for your heart. That’s why cardiologists look at more than just rhythm.
The Fitbit Sense 2 has a unique feature: Skin Temperature Variation. It tracks tiny changes in your skin temperature overnight. A consistent rise of 0.5°C or more over several nights can signal inflammation, infection, or even early signs of heart strain.
Apple Watch uses heart rate variability (HRV) to estimate stress levels. Low HRV over time means your nervous system is under constant pressure-which increases your risk of heart attack.
Cardiologists in Perth and Sydney are starting to ask patients: "What’s your average HRV over the last week?" It’s becoming a standard part of cardiac rehab programs.
These aren’t just for older adults. Cardiologists recommend them to:
Even healthy people in their 30s who train hard should consider one. Intense endurance athletes sometimes develop arrhythmias from years of extreme training. A watch can catch that early.
There are dozens of cheap fitness bands that claim to monitor heart health. Most don’t even have ECG. Some use algorithms that were never tested on real patients.
Cardiologists warn against:
Just because a watch is cheap doesn’t mean it’s safe. If your doctor can’t verify the data, it’s not useful.
A 52-year-old woman in Fremantle wore an Apple Watch for six months. She didn’t think much of it until one morning, it buzzed with an alert: "Irregular Rhythm Detected. Possible AFib."
She went to her GP, who referred her to a cardiologist. An ECG confirmed she had paroxysmal AFib. She was started on a low-dose blood thinner. Two months later, she had a minor stroke. But because her watch caught the rhythm early, the stroke was mild. She recovered fully.
That’s the difference between a gadget and a medical tool.
Here’s what they tell patients to buy:
Don’t buy a watch because it looks nice. Buy it because it gives you data your doctor can trust.
And if you’re already wearing one? Don’t ignore the alerts. Call your doctor. That notification might be the reason you’re still here next year.
Yes-when it’s from devices cleared by the FDA or TGA. Cardiologists use ECG and AFib data from Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit watches to confirm suspicions, avoid unnecessary tests, and catch silent conditions. But they still rely on hospital-grade equipment for diagnosis. The watch is a screening tool, not a replacement.
No. No consumer smartwatch can detect a heart attack in real time. Heart attacks are caused by blocked arteries, and watches can’t measure blood flow or troponin levels. But they can alert you to abnormal heart rhythms that may precede a cardiac event, like rapid, irregular beats or sudden drops in heart rate. If you feel chest pain and your watch shows a strange rhythm, call emergency services immediately.
Not for medical purposes. These devices track heart rate using optical sensors, but they lack ECG and clinical validation. Studies show their rhythm detection accuracy is below 70% compared to medical devices. Cardiologists don’t recommend them for anyone with known heart conditions or risk factors.
Yes-if you’re using it for heart health. Continuous monitoring is how these watches catch nighttime arrhythmias or stress spikes. Sleep tracking also reveals how well your heart recovers. Just make sure the band isn’t too tight, and clean the sensor weekly to avoid inaccurate readings.
No. Blood pressure estimates from watches are not accurate enough for managing hypertension. Use a validated upper-arm cuff at home. Your watch can complement it by tracking heart rhythm, stress, and activity-key factors that influence blood pressure-but it can’t replace it.
If you have a heart condition, bring your data to every appointment. If you’re healthy but using a watch for prevention, share it once every six months or if you get an alert. Most Apple and Samsung watches let you export PDF reports directly to your email or health portal.
If you’re serious about your heart, don’t settle for guesses. Get a watch that gives you facts-not fluff. The right one could give you years.
