apple watch for heart issues

[Gil Bang 25907]

Somebody close to me has some still-unknown heart issues.  She's seen a cardiologist, and tests have been ordered.   She's got an older fitbit that she's always complaining about.

Looks like apple watch 8 has some heart monitoring functions.  Tell me how this shit works...is it out-of-the-box, or do I have to buy more apps, or add-ons? 

[TwiceHorn 31435]

25 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

Somebody close to me has some still-unknown heart issues.  She's seen a cardiologist, and tests have been ordered.   She's got an older fitbit that she's always complaining about.

Looks like apple watch 8 has some heart monitoring functions.  Tell me how this shit works...is it out-of-the-box, or do I have to buy more apps, or add-ons? 

It is my understanding that Apple Watch has a heart rate monitor, at least, and that it's better than most "fit bit" type things, but it's still far below "medical grade" and fairly erratic.

This coming from the perspective of mountain bike riders interested in monitoring heart rate and other data.  The acknowledged best for that purpose, because they give reliable data, are chest-strap type monitors.  Significantly less expensive than an Apple Watch.

https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-heart-rate-monitors?test_uuid=00yyZwi7Jhwj42oJG5A1uwg&test_variant=b

[Gil Bang 25907]

Thanks for that, but I'm talking about more than heart rate. 

 

Watch 8 series :

 

• Blood Oxygen Sensor and App
• Take an ECG Anytime, Anywhere
• Heart Rhythm Notifications

[CooterBrown 18002]

A friend’s dad was alerted to an unknown heart condition because of his Apple Watch. It kept telling him he was in afib and he told his daughter that the watch must be broken. She made him go to the doctor and sure enough, the watch was right.

[pearlandhorn 3269]

YMMV. I’m a distance runner with an Apple Watch. I think it’s an 8. I use it to track my mileage. It also has a heart rate monitor than varies a lot when compared to my wife’s Garmin watch. It’s accurate enough if you aren’t moving around but if you walk, run, bike, it’s not much help in terms of heart monitors.

[Gil Bang 25907]

13 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

A friend’s dad was alerted to an unknown heart condition because of his Apple Watch. It kept telling him he was in afib and he told his daughter that the watch must be broken. She made him go to the doctor and sure enough, the watch was right.

If that's true, I'm buying one for her tomorrow. 

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

45 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

Thanks for that, but I'm talking about more than heart rate. 

 

Watch 8 series :

 

• Blood Oxygen Sensor and App
• Take an ECG Anytime, Anywhere
• Heart Rhythm Notifications

All of that out of the box, no apps or anything else needed. My dad has heart issues and got him one to keep track of it. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13507]

@Gil Bang if your friend is seeing a cardiologist, then I would advise listening to that cardiologist on what devices to buy. Apple hypes the watch’s medical tests but then downplays them in the small print.

However there doesn’t seem to be a downside of buying an Apple Watch for her unless the doctor recommends another product and that advice is ignored. The story above that someone’s Apple Watch detected an unknown problem is eye opening but your friend is already in the care of a doctor.

 

[horn4life 3759]

I would not view the Apple watch as anything but another potential data point.  I have the 8 and it does some cool stuff, but as was said previously the chest strap monitors are far and away the most accurate on HR, but that's also another data point.  You can run tests on yourself for Afib with the apple watch, and I bought that model just because... WTF maybe it will tell me something I don't know one day.

I love my Apple Watch, but hate that it is a pile of junk if not charged every day. 

[CooterBrown 18002]

10 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

If that's true, I'm buying one for her tomorrow. 

It's absolutely true.  It was the dad of my wife's best friend.  However, like others have said, it's not 100% accurate and is just another data point.

IMO, I would do an Apple Watch and also do the chest strap monitor and just do it as part of a nightly routine.

Edited April 7, 2023 by CooterBrown

[Jerry Callo 8694]

I wouldn't look at a smart watch as a medical device.  With that being said, Garmin is probably better than Apple.  Garmin has been doing sport watches longer than Apple has been doing phones.  I have a Garmin Fenix 6x which constantly monitors heart rate and pulse ox.   Woot has some Garmin's on sale today.

[royiv 9242]

I have afib and I wear an Apple Watch so that I can do a quick ECG if I need to. It also monitors if my heart is in a weird rhythm. I don't see it as the end all be all for monitoring my heart, but it's a pretty amazing tool to have on my wrist. 

[torre 1285]

14 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

Thanks for that, but I'm talking about more than heart rate. 

 

Watch 8 series :

 

• Blood Oxygen Sensor and App
• Take an ECG Anytime, Anywhere
• Heart Rhythm Notifications

Portable Single-Lead Heart Monitor | KardiaMobile | Kardia

Best to wait until after the cardiologist visit and ask him/her for recommendations.    She likely will be fitted for a medical device heart rate monitor to wear for a continuous period to monitor her heart.

Also,  check the Kardia.   Different products,  FDA approved, and accepted by many medical professionals     A friend uses and is very impressed.

[Kennythetiger 9374]

6 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

@Gil Bang if your friend is seeing a cardiologist, then I would advise listening to that cardiologist on what devices to buy. 

Look, Eddie- you’re a nice guy, but stay in your lane. We’re experts here. Especially in medicine, the law, and coaching. The three professions. 

[Herbie Hancock 7343]

There is nothing remotely diagnostic about the Apple Watch when it comes to EKG. I can tell you if you're in a-fib with a $15 pulse oximeter from CVS. Also, relying on it to notify you of a serious medical condition is highly inadvisable.

[BottleRocket 644]

I was having what I thought was afib last summer.  My wife bought me the Apple watch and I ran the EKG.  The watch said I was in afib.  I went to see a cardiologist and he chuckled and said he would run some tests.  Ten minutes later he said the watch was correct.  I wanted the watch anyway, so it was a no-brainer. 

 

[swonie 71]

I went into afib last summer and was hospitalized. I only have an Apple Watch SE but even it tracks afib and gives me a report each Monday morning. The 8 has a lot more bells and whistles but my cardiologist told me I didn’t need to upgrade unless I really wanted to.

My intake PA at Seton last summer told me his Apple Watch caught his afib for him as well.

[Dbeasy 15040]

My best friend’s son has a serious afib issue that requires monitoring forever. His cardiologist recommended he get an Apple Watch. It caught his next afib incident. 
 

This is not medical advice. 

[Gil Bang 25907]

Thanks for everybody's input.  I pulled the trigger, and she's tickled shitless.  Maybe it's good for her heart deal, but if it's not, she still loves it. 

[Lat22 4010]

On 4/6/2023 at 9:40 PM, CooterBrown said:

A friend’s dad was alerted to an unknown heart condition because of his Apple Watch. It kept telling him he was in afib and he told his daughter that the watch must be broken. She made him go to the doctor and sure enough, the watch was right.

A friend of a friend had the same experience. It saved her life. 

[Prepuce of Doom 21052]

On 4/7/2023 at 11:44 AM, torre said:

Portable Single-Lead Heart Monitor | KardiaMobile | Kardia

Best to wait until after the cardiologist visit and ask him/her for recommendations.    She likely will be fitted for a medical device heart rate monitor to wear for a continuous period to monitor her heart.

Also,  check the Kardia.   Different products,  FDA approved, and accepted by many medical professionals     A friend uses and is very impressed.

I detest smartwatches and have afib, and my cardiologist has stopped hassling me to get an Apple Watch because I can generally tell when I'm in afib and I have the little credit card-sized Kardia monitor in my wallet (bluetooths to my phone) and I also have a couple of the larger readers (they're still quite small) in my briefcase, etc. 

Works well if you're "lucky" enough to not have to be notified when you're in afib, but it doesn't offer the same proactive warning system of the various watches. 

Edited April 8, 2023 by Prepuce of Doom

[TwiceHorn 31435]

The thing with most wrist-worn (watch) sensors is that they don't stay in close enough contact with the skin, and secondarily such sensors typically use a light to help the sensor "see" the blood vessels in the tissue that's not bright enough or in close enough contact.  The same is also true for a pulse oximeter.

So that's the knock on most of these.  I was of the understanding that the Apple Watch was better than many for this, but am really surprised any medical pros are recommending them for cardiac patients.  I do see that Apple claims to have FDA medical device certification for their sensors and apps, so may be.

Edited April 9, 2023 by TwiceHorn

[Herbie Hancock 7343]

As long as you understand what I said above that it is absolutely not a diagnostic tool and does not recognize rhythms or arrhythmias because it does not and cannot perform an ECG, it's not bad.

[Jkwellborn 6686]

Thanks for everybody's input.  I pulled the trigger, and she's tickled shitless.  Maybe it's good for her heart deal, but if it's not, she still loves it. 

So how was the sex?

[luke duke 6412]

So how was the sex?

According to her watch, her heart rate got up to 73.

[C-Man 27183]

If that's true, I'm buying one for her tomorrow. 

It’s absolutely true. My buddy found out he has a-fib thanks to his Apple Watch making him go get checked out.

[TexasEd 8066]

My mom has AFIB problems and uses her Apple Watch to monitor when she starts and then can time it or decide to head to the hospital. She’s on the cusp of getting a pacemaker.