A study with Stanford University shows the usefulness of the Apple Watch to detect arrhythmias

Apple and Stanford University School of Medicine have been conducting a study for some time to assess the reliability and usefulness of the Apple Watch to detect arrhythmias, especially Atrial Fibrillation, one of the most frequent and that can cause serious complications. The results of this study have been presented this weekend, and according to both parties they have been very useful.

In the middle of the controversy that from some sectors is generated by possible false positives that devices like the Apple Watch can generate, and the unnecessary alarm they can cause in the people who use them, this study seems to be quite conclusive and points out that the Apple Watch is a very useful device for patients and doctors thanks to the information you offer us.

It is the study with the largest sample size in its category, according to Apple itself has said in the presentation of results, with more than 400.000 participants. The objective was to evaluate the reliability of the notifications that these people could receive for alterations in the heart rhythm, and in the event that this happened, a more exhaustive medical evaluation was carried out that included up to a continuous ECG for one week.

The results of the study indicate that only 0,5% of the participants received this notification, making it clear that the fear of excessive notifications that generated false alarms does not make any sense. In addition, 84% of the occasions in which the notification arrived, it could be confirmed by an ECG that there was indeed a heart rhythm alteration. A third of the participants who received the notification were diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation thanks to the continuous ECG.

These are undoubtedly very positive results and demonstrate the high utility of an accessory such as the Apple Watch in the detection of heart disease such as arrhythmias that would otherwise have gone unnoticed, until they had caused serious complications. And that in the study has not yet included the new ECG function of the Surname Watch Series 4.