Apple Watch has turned into a lifesaver on more than one occasion and it adds another feather to the hat by saving a user with its timely diagnosis. The built-in heart-rate sensor in the Apple Watch is a nifty feature available in the most popular wearable out there and it is credited for accurate readings from most of its users. In one such instance, Apple Watch prompted its wearer to go to the hospital after detecting unusual activity in the pulse rate.
Science Friday radio host Ira Flatow shared his grateful experience with Apple Watch on Twitter on Thursday, after his brother's life was saved by the Watch's impromptu diagnosis. According to Flatow, his brother's Apple Watch hit a warning upon hitting >200bpm heart rate and suggested he pay a visit to the hospital.
After getting checked up at the hospital, Flatow's brother was diagnosed with tachycardia, a condition where the resting heart rate exceeds the normal bpm (beats per minute). For most adults, a resting heart rate is considered normal between 60-100bpm. Anything above 100bpm is considered risky and Flotow's brother's heart rate had breached 200bpm, calling for immediate medical attention.
After Flatow's brother was admitted to the hospital, he found that the Apple Watch readings matched with those of the hospital medical equipment all the time. "During the 15 hours I was at the hospital hooked up to the monitors, my the monitors never disagreed with my watch's reading. I checked MANY times," Flatow tweeted quoting his brother.
2/ He says ... "and BTW, during the 15 hours I was at the hospital hooked up to the monitors, my the monitors never disagreed with my watch’s reading. I checked MANY times."
— Ira Flatow (@iraflatow) March 7, 2019
Even though Apple Watch's built-in heart-rate sensor is a reliable tool to detect unusual pulse activity, the popular wearable is still not fully ready to replace the advanced EKG machines. But getting an early diagnosis without having to undergo a series of tests in unsuspecting individuals is certainly a boon.
This is not the first time Apple Watch has been credited with saving lives. Recently, Gaston D'Aquino, a semi-retired diamond trader, thanked Apple CEO Tim Cook after his Apple Watch saved him from life-threatening heart disease, giving him "a new lease on life." Apple Watch also helped diagnose a teen's kidney ailment and another user thanked Apple for detecting elevating heart rate, which turned out to be a pulmonary embolism.
Apple introduced watchOS 5.1.2 for its smartwatches, which enabled electrocardiogram function in the Apple Watch Series 4 and the Irregular Rhythm Notification for all models. Ever since Apple Watch reportedly saved numerous lives.
