“Apple Watch predicts heart problems with 84% accuracy”

Apple Watch predictsA large-scale study from Stanford University shows that the Apple Watch is very capable of detecting heart problems.

Apple Watch predicts

Of the 419,093 participants in the Stanford study, 2,000 people sought medical help. This turned out to be correct in 84% of the cases. This is apparent from the final results that have now been released. The doctors who participated are positive about the study, but also about the fact that the Apple Watch is a useful source of information for diagnosis.

Researchers from Stanford gave a presentation on Saturday at the annual conference of the American College of Cardiology. There they said that 0.5% of the more than 400,000 participants in the study received a report about an irregular heartbeat. It is therefore not the case that users are sent en masse to the doctor.

Apple Watch heartbeat

Apple was also present at the conference. The doctors used the Apple Watch for additional information when determining the diagnosis. “As a doctor, we always try to provide patients with health information that will benefit them,” said Sumbul Desai, who works at Apple as Vice President of Health.

Apple Watch 4

“If medical research shows what we already hear from consumers, then that is positive. We would like to see the Apple Watch help even more consumers in the future, while we are conducting further research with the medical community. probably never heard anything about the results.

To determine the heart rate and heart rate, the Apple Watch uses green LED lights in combination with light-sensitive photodiodes to measure how much blood passes through your wrist. The sensor collects measurements from four points on your wrist and can detect an irregular heartbeat in this way. If that happens, you will receive a notification on your Apple Watch and iPhone as a user.

Apple Watch straps

In the study, participants could have themselves examined by a doctor free of charge and had an electrocardiogram made. The study was announced with the introduction of the Apple Watch Series 3 and lasted a year. According to the American Heart Journal, this is the largest study of such a type that has ever been conducted. The investigation ended in January 2019.

In the past year, Apple has emphasized how well the Apple Watch can be used as an accessory to monitor your health. For example, Apple regularly distributes success stories from people who, thanks to the Apple Watch, were able to get medical help in time, saving lives. This always concerns individual cases.

The study by Stanford University shows what the effect can be on large groups of people. Apple has added even more heart rate functions in Series 4 with the possibility of having an electrocardiogram (ECG) made. This currently only works in the US.

The aim of the research was to determine whether Apple Watch can help detect heart rhythm disorders, including atrial fibrillation. Such heart disease often goes unnoticed because people do not recognize the symptoms and the irregularities do not always occur.

Not everyone seeks help

The accuracy of 84% has been determined by examining participants who received an irregular heartbeat report by having a conventional electrocardiogram (‘heart film’) made in hospital and taking measurements for a week. Remarkably, people do not always take action when they receive a report, even if they consciously participate in such a study. Of the Stanford participants who received a report on the Apple Watch, just over half sought medical help. The rest ignored the warning.

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