Apple Watch saves life again, ECG feature helps woman detect undiagnosed heart blockage (2024)

A woman from England is crediting the ECG feature of the Apple Watch for saving her life. She got alerts for irregular heart rate and when her heart stopped beating for 19 secs when she was sleeping. Scary right? Here’s what happened.

Apple Watch saves life again, ECG feature helps woman detect undiagnosed heart blockage (1)

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 18, 2023 15:16 IST

Apple has set a niche in the market for offering devices equipped with the latest technology which can also save lives. Features like crash detection alert, emergency call via satellite, heart rate monitor are not just making Apple devices a worthy purchase, but are listing Apple devices like iPhones and Apple Watches in the category of must-haves. Emergency and health features are being credited for sending timely alerts to people during situations which could have turned fatal. In a recently reported case, Apple's ECG feature in Apple Watch saved a woman's life by helping in detecting an undiagnosed heart blockage.

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Elaine Thompson from Gateshead, England recently received alerts on her Apple Watch for irregular heart rhythm. As a precaution, She visited the cardiologist where the doctor fitted a heart monitor on her to track her heart rhythms for a week. "When I woke up one day, there was a red alert. It advised me to see a doctor so I did and showed them the results the watch had recorded," she told The Independent.

One night, when Thompson was asleep, her heart monitor sent an emergency alarm to the hospital after her heart stopped for 19 seconds. She was rushed to the hospital and her medical diagnosis revealed that she had a blockage in her heart. For further treatment, doctors installed a pacemaker in her heart to help with her condition, reports The Independent.

While the incident could have turned fatal, Thomson credits her Apple Watch for alerting her on time and saving her life. "It saved my life. If I hadn't had the alert I wouldn't have brought it up with the doctor. Now I wear the Apple Watch all the time. It was so scary knowing I could have died. I flatlined for 19 seconds. I might not have woken up," said Thompson.

She further reveals that she has a medical history of seizures and went through epilepsy in 2018. As a part of her post-diagnosis precaution, her daughter suggested she wear an Apple Watch to monitor her health vitals.


How ECG in Apple Watch works

Apple launched the ECG and irregular rhythm notification features first in September 2018, with the ECG feature specific to the Apple Watch Series 4. Now the feature is available on all the latest Apple Watch models.

The ECG feature includes an app that records an electrocardiogram which represents the electrical pulses that make your heart beat. The ECG feature keeps track of these pulses to monitor the heart rate and check if the upper and lower chambers of the heart are in rhythm. In case it detects irregular heart rhythms it alerts the person.

Apple Watch saves life again, ECG feature helps woman detect undiagnosed heart blockage (2024)

FAQs

Apple Watch saves life again, ECG feature helps woman detect undiagnosed heart blockage? ›

A woman from England is crediting the ECG feature of the Apple Watch for saving her life. She got alerts for irregular heart rate and when her heart stopped beating for 19 secs when she was sleeping. Scary right? Here's what happened.

Can Apple Watch ECG detect heart blockage? ›

The ECG app cannot detect a heart attack. If you ever experience chest pain, pressure, tightness, or what you think is a heart attack, call emergency services immediately. The ECG app cannot detect blood clots or a stroke. The ECG app cannot detect other heart-related conditions.

Can blockage be detected by ECG? ›

An ECG is a great test to analyse heart signals and can directly or indirectly help spot heart blockages or artery issues.

Can Apple Watch detect abnormal heart? ›

Apple Watch checks for unusually high or low heart rates in the background, which could be signs of a serious underlying condition. This could help you and your patients identify situations that may warrant further evaluation.

Can Apple Watch tell if you have heart problems? ›

You can receive a notification if Apple Watch Ultra has identified an irregular heart rhythm that appears to be atrial fibrillation (AFib). Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Tap My Watch, tap Heart, then tap Set Up Irregular Rhythm Notifications in Health.

How reliable is the Apple Watch ECG? ›

Key Takeaways. In short, the Apple Watch ECG is very accurate. One study by a Stanford Asociate Professor of Medicine demonstrated that the Apple Watch could accurately detect AFib in 84% of cases when compared to a traditional 12-lead ECG.

Is my heart OK if the ECG is normal? ›

You may have a perfectly normal ECG, yet still have a heart condition. If your test is normal but your doctor suspects that you have a heart problem, he may recommend that you have another ECG, or a different type of test to find out for sure.

What is the best test to detect heart blockage? ›

A CT coronary angiogram can reveal plaque buildup and identify blockages in the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.

What are the symptoms of a minor heart blockage? ›

In addition to chest pain, symptoms of a clogged artery may include:
  • Dizziness.
  • Feeling like your heart is racing (heart palpitations)
  • Nausea.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Sweating.
  • Weakness.

Does heart block always show on ECG? ›

First-degree atrioventricular (AV) block is a condition of abnormally slow conduction through the AV node. It is defined by ECG changes that include a PR interval of greater than 0.20 without disruption of atrial to ventricular conduction. This condition is generally asymptomatic and discovered only on routine ECG.

Does the Apple Watch ECG pick up palpitations? ›

On Apple Watch Series 1 or later, the IRNF analyzes pulse rate data collected by the photoplethysmograph (PPG) sensor to identify episodes of irregular heart rhythms suggestive of AFib, and it provides a notification to the user when it detects an episode.

What does the Apple Watch ECG detect? ›

The ECG app on Apple Watch measures a waveform similar to one of those twelve waveforms. A single-lead ECG is able to provide information about heart rate and heart rhythm and enables classification of AFib. However, a single-lead ECG cannot be used to identify some other conditions, like heart attacks.

Is the Apple Watch accurate for heart? ›

Even under ideal conditions, Apple Watch may not be able to get a reliable heart rate reading every time for everybody. And for a small percentage of users, various factors may make it impossible to get any heart rate reading at all.

What Watch do cardiologists recommend? ›

Top 3 features of best smartwatches for heart patients for you
Best smartwatch for heart patientsDisplay
Noise Newly Launched Endeavour Smart Watch1.46 inch AMOLED Always On
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) [GPS 40 mm]1.78 inches
Fastrack Reflex Play Smart Watch1.3 inch AMOLED
Apple Watch Series 91.7 inches
6 more rows
Jan 4, 2024

Can Apple Watch detect stopped heart? ›

No, Apple Watch cannot detect heart attacks. It can only detect irregular heart rhythms, which are a risk factor for stroke. If you ever experience chest pain, pressure, tightness, or what you think is a heart attack, call emergency services using your iPhone or Apple Watch manually and immediately.

Can an Apple Watch detect blood clots? ›

The Apple Watch has again shown that it is more than just a timepiece. Kimmie Watkins, a 29-year-old woman from Cincinnati, credits her Apple Watch for detecting a dangerous blood clot in her lungs, which saved her life. Earlier in the day, Kimmie Watkins was not feeling well.

What can an Apple Watch ECG tell you? ›

The ECG app on Apple Watch measures a waveform similar to one of those twelve waveforms. A single-lead ECG is able to provide information about heart rate and heart rhythm and enables classification of AFib. However, a single-lead ECG cannot be used to identify some other conditions, like heart attacks.

What smartwatch do cardiologists recommend? ›

Top 3 features of best smartwatches for heart patients for you
Best smartwatch for heart patientsDisplay
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) [GPS 40 mm]1.78 inches
Fastrack Reflex Play Smart Watch1.3 inch AMOLED
Apple Watch Series 91.7 inches
beatXP Vega1.43 inch Round AMOLED
6 more rows
Jan 4, 2024

Can ECG detect heart problems? ›

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a simple, non-invasive test that records the electrical activity of the heart. An ECG can help diagnose certain heart conditions, including abnormal heart rhythms and coronary heart disease (heart attack and angina).

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