Study: Apple Watch notifications for heart problems are 84 percent accurate

Spread the love

The American Stanford University has conducted a study into the possibilities of using the Apple Watch to detect irregularities in the heart rhythm. The study shows that 71 percent of the notifications were a valid warning.

The researchers have posted the results of their study on their website. Wearers of the Apple Watch were followed for a year and the researchers looked at the notifications that the smart watch gave if the software thought that the wearer had an irregular heart rhythm. By comparison with a conventional heart film, or electrocardiogram, it appears that 84 percent of the notifications by the Apple Watch, there was an irregularity in the heart rhythm.

Incidentally, slightly more than a third of the people who received a notification actually had atrial fibrillation. This was determined by following the people for a week with conventional ECG. The researchers do point out that atrial fibrillation can occur irregularly; as a result, the actual percentage may be higher, as not all cases can be picked up in the week in question.

In addition, the researchers report that a total of 0.5 percent of the wearers received one or more notifications about possible problems with the heart rhythm. Of the people who received a report, just over half went to a doctor for further examination.

In November, Stanford University already explained the Apple Watch study. It said it had found more than 400,000 people willing to participate in the study, which is being conducted entirely virtually. The aim of the study was to determine whether the Apple Watch can contribute to the detection of problems in the heart rhythm, including atrial fibrillation. Such a condition often goes under the radar because people don’t notice the symptoms and the irregularities in the heart rhythm don’t always occur.

You might also like