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New research shows that Apple smartwatch-based screening can improve the detection rate of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia, a heart rhythm disorder that causes a rapid and irregular heartbeat linked to an increased risk of stroke. In the peer-reviewed study, the researchers were able to identify almost four times as many instances of the disease compared with conventional monitoring.
The peer-reviewed research from Amsterdam UMC evaluated 437 patients over a period of six months, all of whom were evaluated as being at high risk of stroke, with a median age of 75.
During the course of the study, 219 people were given an Apple Watch, which they wore for around 12 hours per day. The other 218 people received traditional monitoring, which involves adhesive chest electrodes linked to a portable ECG (electrocardiogram) device, which records the heart's electrical signals to assess its rate, rhythm, and function.
According to Michiel Winter, a cardiologist at Amsterdam UMC, after six months his team was able to diagnose and treat 21 patients in the group wearing the smartwatch, the majority—57%—of whom were asymptomatic. Meanwhile, the researchers made just five diagnoses in the group using standard monitoring, all of whom had already been experiencing symptoms, according to Winter.
“Using smartwatches with PPG and ECG functions aids doctors in diagnosing individuals unaware of their arrhythmia, thereby expediting the diagnostic process,” Winter says. “Our findings suggest a potential reduction in the risk of stroke, benefiting both patients and the healthcare system by reducing costs.” A photoplethysmography (PPG) device is a type of non-invasive, optical technology that uses LED light to measure blood volume changes in the user's tissue.
“This reduction would offset the initial cost of the device," Winter adds.
PPG and ECG monitoring were introduced in the Apple Watch Series 4, released in 2018. Though the study only covered the Apple Watch, numerous rivals, including Samsung and Huawei, have introduced similar heart monitoring features in recent years.
The research comes as we could soon be seeing a lot more from Apple in the healthcare space. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in October that the company is developing a new Health+ subscription, which would monitor data from the Apple Watch, iPhone, and third-party products. The data would reportedly then be used to dispense health advice via an AI assistant.