Smartwatch saves life by spotting heart issue
A Samsung Galaxy Watch has potentially saved a life by detecting a serious heart condition. The watch includes a feature that checks for unusual heartbeats, which can catch problems early. A 61-year-old woman shared her story on a popular online forum, explaining how her Galaxy Watch detected an unknown case of atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats irregularly.
Late one Saturday night, around midnight, her watch sent her an alert about an irregular heartbeat. Following the watch’s advice, she performed an ECG right on her wrist, which confirmed she had atrial fibrillation. Initially, she ignored the alert, but after receiving several more alerts by 3:30 AM, she decided to go to the emergency room.
Once at the ER, another ECG confirmed the atrial fibrillation. She then contacted her health insurance’s nurse line for advice. During this time, she began to feel pain in her neck and shoulder. She is now awaiting the results of an echocardiogram to understand what might have caused this heart issue, but she has already been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and is on medication.
Atrial fibrillation, while not immediately life-threatening, can lead to a higher risk of stroke if not managed. Thanks to the irregular heart rhythm notification feature introduced in the Galaxy Watch 6 series last year, the watch continuously monitors the heartbeat and alerts the user if it finds any unusual patterns over time.
This story highlights how technology can play a crucial role in health monitoring and potentially life-saving interventions.
