Runners' Hearts Monitored By Smartphone

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Talk about using technology to its fullest. Listen to what a group of German researchers did in their efforts to study the impact marathon running has on the heart.

Reporting in The European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, the scientists describe how using a portable electrocardiogram linked via bluetooth to a standard smartphone, they were able to continuously monitor ten runners' heart rhythms during a marathon. They were trying to figure out stresses on the heart.

The scientists were able to continuously monitor the runners' heart rhythms and found that the data they got via bluetooth was fairly comparable to that gathered by the EKG attached to the runner, and 100% of the heart rhythm abnormalities noted by EKG also came through on the smartphone.

At this point no solid results but imagine a time when all runners who want to be monitored have the opportunity.