What is driving demand for wearable medical devices around the globe?

 

What exactly is wearable medical technology? Wearable technologies include electronic medical devices that users can wear, such as smartwatches and Fitbits, and collect data of their health and fitness. These electronic medical devices use the wearer's body heat and other energy sources to generate a feedback trail of heart rate, speed, calories burned, and other factors that may be of importance to a health-conscious individual. Some devices use wireless internet or other localized networks to transmit information.

What is the fastest-growing market for wearable medical technology? One growing market for wearable technology is the growing need of individuals to monitor their health, and more specifically, their heart health. As health care costs continue to rise and pharmaceuticals become more expensive, more people are using wearables to monitor their heart health, and more physicians are recommending them. One of the reasons for this growing demand is that individuals want to have the option to monitor their health from the privacy and comfort of their own home, without driving to the hospital or doctor's office to do so.

What are some advantages of wearing wearable medical technology? One advantage of wearables is the ability to monitor heart health without having to drive to a health monitoring center. Studies show that up to 90 percent of elderly Americans today use some form of personal health information monitoring, such as their blood pressure, and pulse rates. These elderly individuals also greatly benefit from the use of wearable medical technology because they can monitor their vital signs at any time of day or night, without the assistance of an additional medical professional. This enables them to lead a more active lifestyle and take additional precautions against dangerous health risks, including those associated with heart disease and diabetes.

Another advantage to wearable technology is the use of Smartwatches. Smartwatches can be worn as traditional wristwatches or as more advanced applications such as Fitbit and Bowflex fitness watches.