Check Your Heart Health with This Simple Math Trick
Did you know your smartwatch or fitness band can do more than count steps and monitor heart rate? Researchers found these devices can predict heart health using a simple calculation.
Northwestern University Research
Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine researchers discovered that dividing your average daily heart rate by your daily step count can reveal cardiovascular health insights. Their findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
- Peak heart rate and exercise duration remain key predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- Wearable devices track physical and cardiac electrical activity, offering valuable data for identifying new CVD-related factors.
The Simple Math Trick
“Daily Heart Rate Per Step” (DHRPS) is defined as the average daily heart rate divided by steps per day. Researchers found elevated DHRPS was linked to type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and coronary atherosclerosis.
Zhanlin Chen, a third-year medical student at Northwestern University and the study’s lead author, explained that DHRPS measures inefficiency. It shows how well your heart functions. “You’re just going to have to do a tiny bit of math,” he said.
Proactively Monitor Your Heart Health
With this simple math trick, your smartwatch or fitness band can serve as an early warning system for potential heart issues. By monitoring your DHRPS, you can take proactive steps to maintain your heart health and prevent serious problems.
