‘Otherwise I might be dead’: Woman claims Apple watch detected heart blockage
Apple watch's ECG app comes helpful in detecting heart ailment. “When I woke up one day there was a red alert. It advised to see a doctor so I did and showed them the results the watch had recorded,” a woman claimed.
Apple launched the electrocardiogram (ECG) app along with the Apple Watch Series 4 in 2018. The added function has proved to be life-saving in detecting heart ailment. In yet other instance, a woman credited the gadget for saving her life.
Elaine Thompson, 59, had seizures since April 2018, but tests were unable to identify the cause. Her daughter advised her to wear an Apple Watch as a monitor.
“When I woke up one day there was a red alert. It advised to see a doctor so I did and showed them the results the watch had recorded,” she told The Independent.
Thompson's abnormal heartbeat was detected by the ECG app on her Apple Watch. She then went to see a cardiologist, who prescribed a week of heart monitoring. Thompson's illness was later diagnosed as a cardiac blockage by the monitor, and a pacemaker was implanted to help.
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“It saved my life. If I hadn’t had the alert I wouldn’t have brought it up with the doctor… otherwise I might be dead," she added.
Several studies have concluded that the Apple Watch ECG can aid in the diagnosis of a weak heart pump. According to a Mayo Clinic study, the device can help in the detection of left ventricular dysfunction, a potentially fatal heart condition.
Using the electrical heart sensor, the ECG app on an Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, Series 6, Series 7, Series 8 or Ultra may record heartbeat and rhythm. Apple cautions that its ECG app may not be able to identify all heart-related disorders. Also, the app does not have ability to differentiate between a heart attack, blood clot, or stroke.
