Apple Watch detects yet another undiagnosed case of AFib

A Kentucky woman who received an Apple Watch for Christmas in 2018 said the device alerted her to an atrial fibrillation condition five months later, allowing doctors to treat the heart condition that could in some cases lead to stroke.

As highlighted in a report by WHAS 11 on Wednesday, Rosemary Stiles, who received Apple Watch as a gift from her boyfriend in 2018, wanted the device to keep in touch with her children while on the go.

While not explained in detail, it appears Stiles was looking to use tbe unspecified Apple Watch model in situations that would otherwise preclude full access to an iPhone, like driving. According to Kentucky law, people are allowed to operate a cellphone while driving if at least one hand is on the wheel, but that mandate is due to change in February when drivers will be required to rely on hands-free modes of communication.

Though Stiles was not seeking a health companion, Apple Watch proved an invaluable tool when it detected an abnormal heart rhythm last May.

"I just fell asleep in my chair and my watch vibrated," Stiles said. "When I looked at it, it said that it had detected AFib and I needed to see a doctor."

There were signs of the condition prior to the Apple Watch alert.

"I felt tired, I was run down," she said. "I had no energy. I would get up in the mornings and I could do a little bit of stuff around the house but then after a few minutes, I would have to go sit down in a chair, and it wouldn't be long before I would fall asleep."

Stiles sought help from local health professionals, who confirmed the AFib diagnosis. According to APRN Tara Mudd, Stiles' case was one of the first she has seen in which AFib was initially indicated by Apple Watch.

Apple added AFib detection to Apple Watch's arsenal of health related features in 2018. Regularly collecting and parsing data collected by the device's optical heart sensor allows Watch to form a broad overview of a wearer's heart health, including conditions like irregular rhythms. More recent models, like Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5, incorporate an ECG function for more accurate readings.

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5 Comments

Hank2.0 151 comments · 5 Years

About 4 years ago

OK, since this article notes that Series 4 and 5 Apple Watches incorporate better capabilities, can one reasonably assume that Series 3 and maybe Series 2 Apple Watches have AFib detection? In stories like this, I really wish Apple (or AppleInsider) would say what models have the stated capability when the Apple item involved is unspecified.

BtheB 6 comments · 7 Years

@Hank2.0-
I owned series 3, and now own series 5.
There is no AFib capability in series 2 or 3 Apple Watch.
There IS AFib capability in series 5 Apple Watch.
Clear now ?

Soli 9981 comments · 9 Years

BtheB said:

@Hank2.0-
I owned series 3, and now own series 5.
There is no AFib capability in series 2 or 3 Apple Watch.
There IS AFib capability in series 5 Apple Watch.
Clear now ?

It has been able to detect an irregular heart rhythm and inform you that may be AFib since Series 1. What you're probably thinking of is the single-lead ECG that came with Series 4, not Series 5. The only Watch that can't look at your heart rate to determine if it's irregular is Series 0.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208931

GeorgeBMac 11421 comments · 8 Years

This is good stuff -- there are a ton of "undiagnosed illnesses" floating around. Most notably hypertension and diabetes -- as well as A-Fib.

While most are not immediately life threatening, all of them are predecessors to some nasty chronic diseases that make your life miserable for some number of years before they kill you -- sort of torturing somebody then killing them.

Interesting that she mostly wanted the Apple Watch for driving. I find myself using mine for that more and more: a big one is controlling Apple Music playing through my car's audio system. Not only can I easily see what song is playing but I can like or dislike it as well as skip it using my watch. Another nice feature is when Apple Maps taps me on my wrist when I get to my turn -- that's a nice way to do it. Plus, it makes getting an email or text a lot easier --- I just flip my wrist over instead of fumbling around with a phone. Quite often it's a simply matter of tapping a standard response (like "OK"). Or, If I decide I want to deal with it in detail I can then pull over and reply to it on my phone.

These are some of the things that people who poopoo Apple Watches simply don't know or appreciate. But those of us who have one count as one of its countless little blessings -- none of which are any big deal by themselves but collectively are a wonder that make our lives a little better.

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