The Apple Watch is Proving to be a Life-Saving Tool for Many

Back when the Apple Watch was first introduced, it was a seemingly novelty tech item that didn’t have much application. However, now in its fourth iteration, the Apple Watch has proven to be a powerful tool for tracking health, especially when it comes to your heart.

The Apple Watch has always come equipped with a heart rate monitor, making it easy for users to quickly and effectively keep tabs on their heartbeat during any time of the day. This feature is now more effective than ever, thanks to one of the largest heart health studies ever conducted. Thanks to research gathered by Apple, Apple Watches now have the ability to constantly monitor user’s heart rates, alerting users if their heart rates rapidly increase despite seemingly being at rest.

As reported by Men’s Journal, a 61-year old Atlanta man was notified that his heart rate was wildly high despite being at rest. Upon seeing this warning, he was promoted to go to the hospital to get it checked. By the end of the night, his heart was failing, but thanks to an early detection, doctors were able to save his life.

The latest model of the Apple Watch now has a built in ECG feature, that allows for users to check if their hearts are exhibiting atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats rapidly or skips a beat, putting those at risk for stroke or heart failure. Users can check if their hearts are exhibiting Afib by simply placing their finger on the watch crown for 30 seconds.

Since the feature launched in December, there have been numerous reports of users discovering a previously unknown Afib condition. Early detection of such a condition can be crucial in allowing doctors to effectively treat it. One such instance of this includes that of Barry Maden from New Hampshire. Upon using the ECG feature on Apple Watch Series 4, it alerted him as having AFib heart rhythm. After going to the doctors, physicians were able to confirm his condition with more precise instruments, and placed him on medication that can reduce the risk of it.

Stories like this show how the Apple Watch is quickly becoming a powerful tool for effectively and accurately monitoring our health. It spells out an exciting future where the private individual can take control of their health using the power of technology.