Apple Watch AFib alert leads to diabetes diagnosis, saving a woman's life
Wesley HilliardApple Watch
A woman in Oklahoma credits the Apple Watch with saving her life after an atrial fibrillation notification led to a doctor visit and a diabetes diagnosis.
The Apple Watch may not yet be able to alert users to blood sugar levels, it can let users know when a hospital visit may be needed. Many health-related issues can be caught by observing changes in heart rate, which helps lead to a bigger diagnosis.
According to KSWO and shared by 9to5Mac, Judith Luebke was saved thanks to an Apple Watch alert making her make a quick trip to the doctor. Her condition was bad enough that had she not been diagnosed as diabetic that day, she may not have made it through the weekend.
Luebke sat down to share her story ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14. The events took place in 2021.
"One Friday morning I got a notification on my watch that I was in A-FIB," Judith Luebke said. "I talked to my boss that morning and said, 'You know, I've got a meeting this morning. Maybe I'll see the doctor after that, maybe I will, maybe I won't — maybe I'll wait the weekend'," she explained. "And she said, 'You need to go now'."
After a trip to the doctor, Luebke found out she had diabetes and had high sugar levels. Those conditions led to the Apple Watch alert.
Her daughter, Shannon Bowers, also credited the Apple Watch and the people in her mother's life with the life-saving diagnosis. If she had not gotten the alert and urged by the people around her, she may not have lived through the weekend.
Luebke emailed Apple CEO Tim Cook about the event and got a response the same day. He said he was happy to hear from her and even happier that the technology helped save her.
The Apple Watch will forever be a part of Judith Luebke's routine. She said, "It truly saved my life."
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1 Comment
That is awesome! I love hearing these stories about people getting more days on this planet, due to the technology that Apple (and others) have made.
One thing I do wish (as a 52 year juvenile (best explains me) diabetic) that the workout app had complications, so while I am working out, I can see my blood sugar levels from the Dexcom app. It works (somewhat) well on the main face, but when riding my bike, I'd prefer to keep my hands on the handlebars* than pushing on the crown twice and then tapping the Dexcom complication to bring up the app.
*I'm not as skilled as the kids I see riding not holding the handlebars and doing things on their phones. I used to do the "these kids" thing, but now I admire them for their skill, dexterity, and ability to multitask. I have yet to see one kid that has crashed. Not looking for a debate on this, I'd never do that, but seeing the kids is impressive.