Apple Watch can help in detecting silent heart abnormalities: Study

Medical researchers around the world continue to discover new ways Apple Watch can help save your life. A new study from researchers offers a deeper look at the Apple Watch’s ECG features, with a focus on detecting heart abnormalities like left ventricular dysfunction.

Team Newsable

First Published Nov 21, 2022, 2:15 PM IST | Last Updated Nov 21, 2022, 2:15 PM IST

Heart disorders are now more prevalent than ever. At the same time, there are enough devices available today that might enable consumers to see unusual behaviours that could perhaps indicate more serious issues. One such comparatively "mass-market" device that has repeatedly saved lives is the Apple Watch. The ECG capabilities of the Apple Watch are examined in more detail in a recent research to determine whether they may genuinely be used to identify silent cardiac conditions such left ventricular dysfunction. It appears that it can.

For those who are unaware, congestive heart failure may result from left ventricular malfunction of the heart. It has since become clear that Apple Watch may even detect silent heart attacks, which if they worsen might cause a wide range of cardiac problems.

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The research goes on to say that if this ailment, cardiac dysfunction, stays untreated because it is asymptomatic and patients are often ignorant of the same, it can cause several difficulties in life down the road. The report went on to say that it would be a major advancement if Apple Watch could recognise a condition like this or perhaps assist in diagnosing it.

In support of this claim, an experiment was conducted from August 2021 to February 2022 including more than 2000 patients from the US and 11 other nations. Over 1 lakh individuals transmitted their ECGs via their Apple Watches in total. Then, an AI system created by researchers was used to process ECG records.

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The studies shown that viewers of ECGs recorded outside of a professional setting may spot people who had heart malfunction. It also demonstrated the capability of smartwatches to carry out distant digital health investigations.

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