Heart rhythm app provides peace of mind after ablation
A new study shows that almost half of the patients who use an app to monitor their heart rate following operation for atrial fibrillation feel more reassured in the period after the procedure.
A total of 640 patients underwent ablation for atrial fibrillation at Privathospitalet Mølholm between September 2024 and March 2025. During the same period, all were offered one year’s free access to an app that can monitor their heart rhythm at home. The app can detect if atrial fibrillation returns – something many patients worry about after the operation.
"It provides great reassurance that patients can monitor their own condition. Although the vast majority do not experience atrial fibrillation again, the risk is highest in the first few months after the operation," says Jacob Pontoppidan, a cardiologist at Privathospitalet Mølholm.
App gives notification in case of atrial fibrillation
Using the motion sensor built into all modern smartphones, the app can detect whether the heart rhythm is normal or if atrial fibrillation is suspected. The patient simply needs to lie on their back and place the mobile phone in the center of their chest. After one minute, the result can be read on the screen. This is a great way to enable patients to monitor their heart rhythm.
"I had an ablation just under a year ago, and it has been incredible how much it has helped. I have had no episodes and I don't feel anything unusual from my heart. I have almost forgotten how bad it was and how much of a strain it put me under. It gives me peace of mind to be connected to the app afterwards," says one of the patients who took part in the study.
The fear of undetected fluctuations and atrial fibrillation can be distressing. Not least because atrial fibrillation does not always cause noticeable symptoms that allow you to act in time, as another patient explains:
"It was very helpful to be able to monitor my heart rhythm immediately after ablation. In my case, I had two relapses. As I was able to detect it straight away myself, action was taken quickly, and I have now been free of atrial fibrillation for a year."
The study was conducted via a questionnaire survey by CardioSignal in Finland in collaboration with Privathospitalet Mølholm.
24 November 2025, Anni Kathrine Søndergaard