Heart Rhythm 2026: Apple Watch Better Than Traditional Patch Monitors in Detecting Pediatric Arrhythmias

A new study examining the accuracy of wearable technologies for capturing irregular heartbeats in children concluded that the Apple Watch can capture arrhythmia events potentially more effectively than traditional ambulatory patch rhythm monitors. Researchers presented these findings as an oral abstract during Heart Rhythm 2026.

Arrhythmias occur when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or unevenly. These irregular heart rhythms affect millions of U.S. adults and children.ⁱ In recent years, wearable devices have evolved from general wellness trackers into tools that can screen for heart rhythm disorders, particularly atrial fibrillation (AF). Nearly one in four Americans with cardiovascular disease now uses wearable fitness technologyⁱⁱ such as the Apple Watch, prompting substantial research into these devices’ ability to capture arrhythmias in adults. However, despite heart rhythm disorders also being common in children,ⁱⁱⁱ researchers have conducted relatively few studies to determine whether wearable devices can capture heart rhythm abnormalities in children.

The Pediatric Apple Watch Study (PAWS) included 107 children and adolescents aged 6–18 years (average age 14; 62% female) undergoing outpatient evaluation for heart palpitations using an ambulatory patch rhythm monitor. Participants also received an Apple Watch (Version 5 or later). Over six months, participants used their watch to record an electrocardiogram (ECG), a measurement of the heart’s electrical activity, whenever they experienced arrhythmia symptoms. The device automatically transmitted recordings to a secure digital platform. Electrophysiologists reviewed the ECG tracings, device-generated diagnoses, and tracing quality, and compared arrhythmia events captured by the Apple Watch with those recorded by the patch monitor.

The study found that 79% of Apple Watch ECG tracings recorded during episodes of tachyarrhythmia—when the heart beats faster than normal—were rated good or excellent in quality, meaning specialists could reliably interpret them. The device’s algorithm correctly identified AF in 73% of ECGs and correctly flagged supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) as “high heart rate” in 75% of cases. Overall, the Apple Watch captured arrhythmia events in twice as many patients as captured by the monitor.

“Most research on wearable devices for arrhythmia characterization has focused on adults, leaving an important gap in pediatric care,” said Scott Ceresnak, M.D., professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. “Our study is among the first to evaluate how devices like the Apple Watch perform in children. The findings suggest wearable technologies could help transform how we test for, capture, and ultimately manage heart rhythm abnormalities in younger patients.”

These findings demonstrate the potential for consumer wearable devices, such as the Apple Watch, to help capture arrhythmias in children, and to complement traditional cardiac monitoring methods. Because many patients already own wearable devices, clinicians may be able to review ECG data collected outside clinical settings, potentially expanding access to heart rhythm monitoring. However, researchers note that clinicians should interpret consumer wearable device data within a clinical context, particularly given ongoing challenges with diagnostic specificity. As consumer devices continue to offer more health-related features, it’s likely they will play an increasingly relevant role in medical care.

Future studies should evaluate wearable-based monitoring in larger pediatric populations and across diverse clinical settings.

The Heart Rhythm Society is the international leader in science, education, and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients and is the primary information resource on heart rhythm disorders. Its mission is to improve patient care by promoting research, education, and optimal healthcare policies and standards. Incorporated in 1979 and based in Washington, D.C., its membership consists of more than 9,000 heart rhythm professionals from 94 countries.

The Heart Rhythm Society’s annual Heart Rhythm meeting convenes 10,000 of the world’s clinicians, scientists, researchers, and innovators in cardiac pacing and electrophysiology. More than 2,000 international experts in the field serve as faculty for the 200-plus educational sessions, forums, symposia, and ceremonies, while over 110 exhibitors showcase their products and services.

References
i Dhingra LS, Aminorroaya A, Oikonomou EK, Nargesi AA, Wilson FP, Krumholz HM, Khera R. Use of wearable devices in individuals with or at risk for cardiovascular disease in the US, 2019 to 2020. JAMA Network Open. 2023; 6(6): e2316634.
ii Noubiap, J, Tang, J, Teraoka, J. et al. Minimum National Prevalence of Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation Inferred From California Acute Care Facilities. JACC. 2024 Oct, 84 (16) 1501–1508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.07.014
iii Russ Adwan, Shannon Thatcher, Sarah Russo, Svjetlana Tisma-Dupanovic, Arrhythmias in children: Too fast or too slow, Progress in Pediatric Cardiology, Volume 65, 2022, 101520, ISSN 1058-9813, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppedcard.2022.101520.