Can Apple Watch Detect Myocardial Ischemia? A Cardiologist's Findings
TapTechNews July 4th news, Dr. Ruud Koster, a cardiologist from Amsterdam, published a paper indicating that the Apple Watch smartwatch can detect myocardial ischemia.
After wearing the Apple Watch and using the electrocardiogram function, Koster unexpectedly discovered that he had a potentially fatal heart blockage that could lead to myocardial ischemia. He then wrote his experience into a paper and suggested studying the ability of the Apple Watch to alert wearers to potential fatal heart blockages.
TapTechNews note: Myocardial ischemia is caused by insufficient blood and oxygen supply to the heart due to coronary artery stenosis, spasm, or embolism, etc., and is the main cause of fatal heart attacks. In the United States alone, more than one million people die from myocardial ischemia every year.
The Apple support page clearly states: The Apple Watch cannot detect a heart attack. If you feel chest pain, chest tightness, or chest constriction, or you think it's a heart attack, please call emergency services immediately.
However, Dr. Koster said: The use for detecting myocardial ischemia is not recognized by Apple, but it is recorded in this case.
Before discovering the Apple Watch, Koster didn't know he had a potentially fatal heart blockage. He had no discomfort and no symptoms of heart disease. The paper said: Before, during, and after the onset, he had absolutely no symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or palpitations.
After exercising on the cross-trainer in the gym, out of curiosity, Koster took an Apple Watch electrocardiogram for himself.
When looking at the electrocardiogram result, Koster noticed a small T wave depression at the end of the electrocardiogram. In the next half hour, he continued to take electrocardiograms for himself, and he noticed that the T wave amplitude increased a few minutes later and returned to normal about 30 minutes later.
Koster is a cardiologist with 50 years of experience, and he believes that this sudden drop is a sign of a silent blockage that does not cause any symptoms of heart disease.