Here's how repeated low heart rate alerts from an Apple Watch helped doctors discover a previously undiagnosed tumour.
Apple Watch monitors sleep and blood oxygen levels
Photo Credit: Apple
Smartwatches today offer much more than just timekeeping or step tracking. With features like heart rate monitoring, sleep analysis, and blood oxygen measurement, they're becoming essential tools for tracking health metrics. According to a recent report, an Apple Watch played a critical role in detecting an irregular heartbeat through its ECG (electrocardiogram) function, alerting her to a possible health issue. This warning led her to seek urgent medical help, which ultimately helped doctors discover an undiagnosed brain tumour in time for her to receive treatment.
The Sun reports that 57-year-old Sam Adams, who lives near Brighton, said that her Apple Watch kept alerting her about an abnormally low heart rate after she returned from a trip to Costa Rica. At the time, she attributed her fatigue and persistent headaches to stress, grief, and jet lag, as she was coping with the recent death of her father, her pet, and the end of her marriage.
“I thought it was jet lag - I had really low energy and a dull headache at the front of my head. My Apple Watch also kept saying my heart rate was low," she told the publication. After receiving repeated heart rate alerts from the Apple Watch, Adams decided to consult a pharmacist to have her blood pressure checked.
This initial step led to more thorough testing, which uncovered a manageable heart condition likely responsible for the watch's alerts. Her persistent headaches prompted doctors to order a CT scan, which unexpectedly revealed a previously undiagnosed brain tumour.
According to the report, doctors informed Adams that the tumour is likely benign but inoperable. She has been prescribed medication and undergoes monthly brain scans. “And I am so grateful for my Apple Watch - I don't know what would have happened if it had not gone off", Adams added.
In addition to heart rate monitoring, Apple Watch tracks sleep and blood oxygen levels, enabling users to stay more connected to their well-being. The latest Apple Watch Series 10 offers a sleep apnoea detection feature and informs users about any irregularities in their sleep cycle. The new wearables have an accelerometer that can measure breathing disturbances.
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