In the latest account of an Apple Watch potentially saving a life, a firefighter from Canada experienced a critical heart condition thanks to his device's alert. Travis Chalmers, aged 44 and a firefighter, noticed a sudden warmth in his chest and a severe headache while playing road hockey with his son. Initially attributing these symptoms to flu or allergies, Chalmers later realized his heart rate was unusually high, thanks to a warning from his Apple Watch, prompting him to seek medical help.
According to a report by Canada Global News, Chalmers's Apple Watch initially detected atrial fibrillation, a condition marked by rapid heart rhythm, which can heighten the risk of stroke and heart failure. Despite attempts to rest, his heart rate remained irregular. Seeing continuous alerts from his watch, Chalmers decided to visit the hospital.
"After about half an hour, I was lying down with my daughter and my heart rate was still racing… When I mentioned atrial fibrillation and described my symptoms, they rushed me right in," he recounted. "That's when they told me I might be having a heart attack."
Upon arrival and describing his symptoms, he was promptly assessed and informed that he was likely experiencing a heart attack. Subsequent medical tests confirmed the diagnosis, revealing a completely blocked artery.
Chalmers, who does not have a significant family history of heart disease and leads an active lifestyle, was surprised by the diagnosis. He expressed gratitude to his Apple Watch for detecting irregularities that prompted him to seek help, emphasizing that the watch acted as an additional set of eyes to monitor his health. "I'm very fortunate that the watch gave me a second set of eyes."
Apple has incorporated the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature into Apple Watch (Series 1 or later) with watchOS 6, designed to alert users if it detects an irregular heart rhythm suggestive of atrial fibrillation (AFib). This feature utilizes the watch's optical heart sensor to periodically monitor the user's heart rhythm in the background, particularly during periods of rest. If the sensor identifies irregular heart rhythms that may indicate AFib across five separate instances over at least 65 minutes, it triggers a notification to prompt the user to seek further medical evaluation.
In addition to continuous monitoring, the Apple Watch includes an ECG app that offers a detailed analysis of heart rhythm. Apple conducted a clinical trial involving approximately 600 participants to validate the accuracy of the ECG app. During this trial, the app demonstrated a sensitivity of 98.3% in correctly identifying AFib and a specificity of 99.6% in correctly identifying normal sinus rhythm based on classifiable recordings compared to a traditional 12-lead ECG interpreted by a cardiologist.
These functionalities empower Apple Watch users to effectively monitor their heart health, enabling them to identify potential AFib cases early and take proactive measures to manage their cardiovascular well-being.
