Portable Out-of-hospital Electrocardiography: A Review of Current Technologies

Overview

Journal J Arrhythm

Publisher Wiley

Date 2018 Apr 17

PMID 29657588

Citations 42

Authors

Agam Bansal

Rajnish Joshi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Availability of portable and home-based electrocardiography (ECG) is an important medical innovation, which has a potential to transform medical care. We performed this review to understand the current state of out-of-hospital portable ECG technologies with respect to their scope, ease of use, data transmission capabilities, and diagnostic accuracy.

Methods: We conducted PubMed and Internet searches for "handheld" or "wearable" or "patch" electrocardiography devices to enlist available technologies. We also searched PubMed with names of individual devices to obtain additional citations. We classified available devices as a "single limb lead ECG recording devices" and chest-lead "ECG recording devices." If a device used more than three electrodes, it was defined as a conventional electrocardiography or Holter machine and was excluded from this review.

Results: We identified a total of 15 devices. Overall, only six of these devices (five single lead and one chest lead) featured in published medical literature as identified from PubMed search. A total of 13 citations were available for the single limb lead ECG recording devices and 6 citations for the chest-lead ECG recording devices.

Conclusions: Despite the increase in number of such devices, published biomedical literature regarding their diagnostic accuracy, reproducibility, or utility is scant.

Citing Articles

A new trauma severity scoring system adapted to wearable monitoring: A pilot study.

Lemarquand A, Jannot P, Kammerlocher L, Lissorgues G, Behr M, Arnoux P PLoS One. 2025; 20(3):e0318290.

PMID: 40036212 PMC: 11878944. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318290.

Reliability and validity of a novel single-lead portable electrocardiogram device for pregnant women: a comparative study.

Wang H, Wang J, Jing W, Dai S, Zhang D, Geng S BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2025; 25(1):108.

PMID: 40033253 PMC: 11877860. DOI: 10.1186/s12911-025-02952-6.

Overview of Wearable Healthcare Devices for Clinical Decision Support in the Prehospital Setting.

Gathright R, Mejia I, Gonzalez J, Hernandez Torres S, Berard D, Snider E Sensors (Basel). 2025; 24(24.

PMID: 39771939 PMC: 11679471. DOI: 10.3390/s24248204.

A Step Forward for Smart Clothes: Printed Fabric-Based Hybrid Electronics for Wearable Health Monitoring.

Tu H, Li Z, Chen Z, Gao Y, Xuan F Sensors (Basel). 2024; 24(21).

PMID: 39517889 PMC: 11548308. DOI: 10.3390/s24216991.

Model-based estimation of heart movements using microwave Doppler radar sensor.

Ota T, Okusa K J Physiol Anthropol. 2024; 43(1):27.

PMID: 39434183 PMC: 11492655. DOI: 10.1186/s40101-024-00373-4.

References

Bolourchi M, Batra A . Diagnostic yield of patch ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring in children (from a national registry). Am J Cardiol. 2015; 115(5):630-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2014.12.014. View

Locati E, Vecchi A, Vargiu S, Cattafi G, Lunati M . Role of extended external loop recorders for the diagnosis of unexplained syncope, pre-syncope, and sustained palpitations. Europace. 2013; 16(6):914-22. DOI: 10.1093/europace/eut337. View

Chan P, Wong C, Pun L, Wong Y, Wong M, Chu D . Head-to-Head Comparison of the AliveCor Heart Monitor and Microlife WatchBP Office AFIB for Atrial Fibrillation Screening in a Primary Care Setting. Circulation. 2016; 135(1):110-112. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.024439. View

Barrett P, Komatireddy R, Haaser S, Topol S, Sheard J, Encinas J . Comparison of 24-hour Holter monitoring with 14-day novel adhesive patch electrocardiographic monitoring. Am J Med. 2014; 127(1):95.e11-7. PMC: 3882198. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.10.003. View

Schuchert A, Behrens G, Meinertz T . [Evaluation of infrequent episodes of palpitations with a patient-activated hand-held electrocardiograph]. Z Kardiol. 2002; 91(1):62-7. DOI: 10.1007/s392-002-8373-4. View

Kaleschke G, Hoffmann B, Drewitz I, Steinbeck G, Naebauer M, Goette A . Prospective, multicentre validation of a simple, patient-operated electrocardiographic system for the detection of arrhythmias and electrocardiographic changes. Europace. 2009; 11(10):1362-8. DOI: 10.1093/europace/eup262. View

Haberman Z, Jahn R, Bose R, Tun H, Shinbane J, Doshi R . Wireless Smartphone ECG Enables Large-Scale Screening in Diverse Populations. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2015; 26(5):520-6. DOI: 10.1111/jce.12634. View

Turakhia M, Hoang D, Zimetbaum P, Miller J, Froelicher V, Kumar U . Diagnostic utility of a novel leadless arrhythmia monitoring device. Am J Cardiol. 2013; 112(4):520-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2013.04.017. View

Soni A, Earon A, Handorf A, Fahey N, Talati K, Bostrom J . High Burden of Unrecognized Atrial Fibrillation in Rural India: An Innovative Community-Based Cross-Sectional Screening Program. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2016; 2(2):e159. PMC: 5083844. DOI: 10.2196/publichealth.6517. View

10.

Lau J, Lowres N, Neubeck L, Brieger D, Sy R, Galloway C . iPhone ECG application for community screening to detect silent atrial fibrillation: a novel technology to prevent stroke. Int J Cardiol. 2013; 165(1):193-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.01.220. View

11.

Dilaveris P, Kennedy H . Silent atrial fibrillation: epidemiology, diagnosis, and clinical impact. Clin Cardiol. 2017; 40(6):413-418. PMC: 6490532. DOI: 10.1002/clc.22667. View

12.

Wiesel J, Arbesfeld B, Schechter D . Comparison of the Microlife blood pressure monitor with the Omron blood pressure monitor for detecting atrial fibrillation. Am J Cardiol. 2014; 114(7):1046-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2014.07.016. View

13.

Dechamps M, Castanares-Zapatero D, Vanden Berghe P, Meert P, Manara A . Comparison of clinical-based and ECG-based triage of acute chest pain in the Emergency Department. Intern Emerg Med. 2016; 12(8):1245-1251. DOI: 10.1007/s11739-016-1558-8. View

14.

Bansal A, Joshi R . Portable out-of-hospital electrocardiography: A review of current technologies. J Arrhythm. 2018; 34(2):129-138. PMC: 5891427. DOI: 10.1002/joa3.12035. View

15.

de Asmundis C, Conte G, Sieira J, Chierchia G, Rodriguez-Manero M, di Giovanni G . Comparison of the patient-activated event recording system vs. traditional 24 h Holter electrocardiography in individuals with paroxysmal palpitations or dizziness. Europace. 2014; 16(8):1231-5. DOI: 10.1093/europace/eut411. View

16.

Kearley K, Selwood M, Van den Bruel A, Thompson M, Mant D, Hobbs F . Triage tests for identifying atrial fibrillation in primary care: a diagnostic accuracy study comparing single-lead ECG and modified BP monitors. BMJ Open. 2014; 4(5):e004565. PMC: 4025411. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004565. View

17.

Schnell O, Barnard K, Bergenstal R, Bosi E, Garg S, Guerci B . Clinical Utility of SMBG: Recommendations on the Use and Reporting of SMBG in Clinical Research. Diabetes Care. 2015; 38(9):1627-33. DOI: 10.2337/dc14-2919. View

18.

Rekhviashvili A, Baganashvili E, Tan K, Raymakers F, Sakandelidze T . Reproducibility and diagnostic value of E100 event recorder for patients with complains on heart arrhythmias and no changes on multiple routine ECGs and 24-hour holter monitoring. Georgian Med News. 2012; (203):29-33. View

19.

Marazzi G, Iellamo F, Volterrani M, Lombardo M, Pelliccia F, Righi D . Comparison of Microlife BP A200 Plus and Omron M6 blood pressure monitors to detect atrial fibrillation in hypertensive patients. Adv Ther. 2011; 29(1):64-70. DOI: 10.1007/s12325-011-0087-0. View

20.

Doliwa P, Frykman V, Rosenqvist M . Short-term ECG for out of hospital detection of silent atrial fibrillation episodes. Scand Cardiovasc J. 2008; 43(3):163-8. DOI: 10.1080/14017430802593435. View