title: The Telltale Heartbeat: Heart-Rate Monitors are Taking New Shapes.
abstract: The pulse rate has long been considered a basic and essential window on a person?s general physical condition. A racing heart could mean a person is at risk for a heart attack or, conversely, simply stressed, excited, or exercising. An erratic heartbeat could be a sign of a thyroid condition or, rather, just an indication that a person has indulged in one too many cups of coffee that morning. A slow pulse, on the other hand, could be a sign of a serious electrical problem within the organ or suggest, to the contrary, that a heart is as strong as an ox.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grifantini
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003020:Clothing; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008904:Miniaturization; D017156:Photoplethysmography / Q000295:instrumentation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care / Q000295:instrumentation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000295:instrumentation*; D059015:Wireless Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*