A medical study has shown that heart attack detection by the Apple Watch is technically possible using only the ECG sensors built into current models.
Heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when certain muscles in the heart do not receive enough oxygen due to a blockage of blood flow. Apple Watch users might actually be able to detect the symptoms of a heart attack through their watch.
According to research published by the Texas Heart Institute Journal earlier this month, the Apple Watch could help identify heart attacks with electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors. The watch will diagnose the symptoms of a myocardial infarction using the electrocardiogram function available in 4, 5, 6 and 7 series models to record different leads in different parts of the body.
Symptoms of heart attacks can be detected by the Apple Watch
Apple Watch Can Accurately Assess Heart Attack Risk, Researchers Say as soon as the first symptoms appear, because the timing is an important element with this kind of disease. The watch will allow users to consult a doctor long before they need it for necessary therapy.
In fact, we had already heard of a student who claimed that the connected watch detected the symptoms of an illness months before her diagnosis. Often, Apple Watches have also distinguished themselves by saving lives after the detection of an abnormally high heart rate in a woman after an unnoticed heart attack, or the detection of an excessively low heart rate which led to the insertion of a pacemaker in another user.
Medical professionals usually confirm a myocardial infarction using a traditional 12-lead electrocardiogram which requires specific equipment and professional training, while the Apple Watch uses a positive electrode on the back of the device and a negative electrode on the Digital Crown to record a single-lead ECG.
It is therefore important to keep in mind that the Apple Watch is not intended to replace medical equipment, but rather to be a new screening tool. In fact, the Apple Watch may soon be able to diagnose a new heart disease, heart pump failure. It remains essential to pass a medical examination for any suspected heart attack.
Source: Texas Heart Institute Journal