Use of heart rate monitors in cardiac rehabilitation

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Smart Heart: A Real-Time Monitoring System for Cardiac Rehab Patients

• IRAS ID

  296139

• Contact name

  Chelsea Batty

• Contact email

  chelsea.batty@wrexham.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Wrexham University

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  N/A, N/A

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 21 days

• Research summary

  Background: Heart rate monitoring is considered a crucial element of supervised exercise programmes within cardiac rehabilitation. Target heart rate ranges are established to guide individualised patient exercise intensities to ensure safe and effective exercise. Historically, the use of chest strap monitors have been used in cardiac rehabilitation programs. However, this can be labour intensive as staff often have limited time and limited funding to purchase multiple heart rate monitors that can be used for all patients in an exercise class, thus in Flintshire, subjective monitoring is used which does not always give an accurate picture of how hard patients are exercising. Furthermore, some patients can feel uncomfortable with staff fitting the chest strap in the company of others and private rooms aren’t always available.
  Therefore, we propose that armband heart rate monitors could contribute to increased accuracy of heart rate monitoring in supervised exercise classes and the patients can fit them independently. The accuracy of arm band heart rate monitors has not yet been systematically assessed in patients with cardiovascular disease particularly in the context of cardiac rehab. A recent study (Goncalves et al., 2024) assessed the Polar verity sense armband heart rate monitor (the one we will be using) at monitoring stroke patients' physical activity intensity and compared it with a standard heart rate monitor and found differences between the time patients spent performing moderate and vigorous physical activity. The authors concluded further research needs to take place to establish which device is more appropriate. We would like to collect data from the polar verity sense armband heart rate monitors and assess their effectiveness in guiding patient’s exercise intensities. The armbands are CE marked and compliant with Directives 2014/53/EU, 2011/65/EU and 2015/863/EU. The relevant Declaration of Conformity and other regulatory information for each product are available at www.polar.com/en/regulatory_information. The armband is being used for their intended purpose. The intended purpose of the Polar Verity Sense as described in the technical specification of the product is “a versatile high-quality optical heart rate sensor that measures heart rate from your arm or temple. It's a great alternative to heart rate chest straps and wrist-based devices

• REC name

  North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  25/NW/0057

• Date of REC Opinion

  11 Apr 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion