Maggie McKay (Host): Welcome to Conversations like No Other: Heart Care, presented by the Heart and Vascular Institute of Valley Health System in Paramus, New Jersey. Our podcast goes beyond broad, everyday cardiac topics to discuss very real and very specific subjects that impact your heart health. We think you'll enjoy our fresh take. I'm Maggie McKay. Thanks for listening.

Today, we have Dr. Suneet Mittal, Chair of the Cardiovascular Service Line at Valley Health System, to discuss innovations, technologies, and patient benefit. Thank you so much for being here.

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Thanks for having me, Maggie. It's a pleasure.

Host: Always. Let's start with wearable devices like smartwatches. They're everywhere. How have they changed the way we monitor heart health?

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Well, wearable devices have fundamentally shifted heart monitoring from something that happens episodically in a doctor's office to something that happens continuously in daily life. I think for the first-time we can capture heart rhythm data during sleep, exercise, stress, as well as normal routines, moments we've never really had access to before.

This has empowered patients to be more engaged in their own health, and it's allowed clinicians to detect problems earlier, particularly intermittent rhythm issues that might otherwise have been missed. In many ways, wearables have turned heart monitoring into a shared ongoing conversation between patients and their healthcare teams.

Host: And how accurate are wearable heart features compared to tests done in a doctor's office?

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Maggie, that's a great question, and a very important one. Wearables are not a replacement for medical grade testing, but many of them are remarkably accurate for what they're designed to do. For example, single-lead ECGs and optical heart rate censors perform quite well for detecting certain rhythm abnormalities, especially atrial fibrillation.

However, we can never forget that they are screening tools, not diagnostic tools. In the office, we still rely on multi-lead ECGs, longer term monitors, imaging and, importantly, clinical context to confirm a diagnosis and to guide initiation of treatment. But I think the real strength of these wearables is that they tell us when to look more closely.

Host: So if your watch flags an irregular heartbeat, how seriously should you take it?

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Well, I think they should always be taken seriously, but not with panic. An alert is simply a signal, not a diagnosis. Many alerts turn out to be benign or related to motion, stress, caffeine intake, or just simply poor sensor contact. That said, if someone receives repeated alerts, has symptoms like palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest discomfort, or has known heart disease, this information should absolutely be shared with a healthcare professional. I think used appropriately, these alerts can help us intervene earlier and more thoughtfully.

Host: What heart rhythm issues are these technologies best at detecting and where do they fall short?

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Well, I think wearables are particularly strong at detecting rhythm abnormalities such as atrial fibrillation, heart rate abnormalities, like sustained periods of low heart rate or rapid heart rate, as well as general rhythm irregularities. These are conditions where pattern recognition over time is very valuable. But they fall short in other areas, such as detecting more complex arrhythmias, subtle conduction system abnormalities, or providing the full electrical picture of the heart. They also cannot tell us why an arrhythmia is happening. This still requires clinical evaluation, imaging, and sometimes more invasive testing.

Host: So, how does artificial intelligence help make sense of all the heart data that these devices collect?

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Well, you know, artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere. But in this case, it really is essential because the volume of data generated by wearables is enormous, far more than any human could realistically review. AI helps us by identifying meaningful pattern, filtering out noise, and prioritizing data that truly matters. In clinical practice, what that means for me is fewer false alarms, fewer identification of concerning trends, and more efficient use of clinician time, my time, as well as actionable time. Importantly though, AI doesn't replace the physicians, it augments our ability to deliver timely personalized care.

Host: And what would you say are the biggest benefits and the potential downsides of remote heart monitoring for patients?

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Well, I think the biggest benefit is early detection, convenience, personalization. Patients can now be monitored without frequent office visits. And issues can be identified sooner, and care plans adjusted based on real-world data rather than just simple snapshots in time.

The potential downsides, of course, are information overload, unintended anxiety from alerts and inequities in access to technology. That's why education and thoughtful integration into clinical workflows are critical. Technology always works best when it's paired with guidance and human connection.

Host: Dr. Mittal, what excites you most about where heart monitoring technology is headed next?

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Well, I'm really most excited about the fact that we're moving towards truly predictive and preventive care. We're heading towards a future where wearable data, AI, imaging, and clinical history come together to identify risk before symptoms appear and allow us to intervene earlier and more precisely. This is especially powerful for conditions like atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and inherited rhythm disorders. The ultimate goal isn't just detecting disease, it's improving quality of life and long-term outcomes for our patients.

Host: In closing, is there anything else you'd like to add that you'd like people to know?

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Well, I think it's important to note that technology is giving us better tools, but it's really the partnership between patients and clinicians that turn those tools into better care.

Host: Thank you so much for joining us. It's always a pleasure and all your information is very useful and informative. Thank you.

Dr. Suneet Mittal: Thank you for having me, Maggie.

Host: Absolutely. Again, that's Dr. Suneet Mittal. We hope today's conversation has highlighted how innovations like wearable technology and AI-driven diagnostics are shaping the future of heart care. These tools are helping us better understand heart health and deliver more personalized care for every patient. If you have questions or concerns about your heart health, don't wait, talk to your doctor. For more information and resources, visit valleyhealth.com/heart and as always, be sure to subscribe, share this episode and take good care.

Thanks for listening to Conversations Like No Other: Heart Care, presented by the Heart and Vascular Institute at Valley Health System in Paramus, New Jersey. For more information on today's topic, or to be connected with today's guest, please call 201-291-6090 or email valleypodcast@valleyhealth.com.