Apple Watch detects irregular heart beat in large U.S. study

In a large study involving over 400,000 Apple Watch users being funded by Apple Inc (AAPL.O) the ‘Apple Watch’ was able to detect irregular heart pulse rates that could signal the need for further monitoring for a serious heart rhythm problem.

The study demonstrates a prospective future role for wearable consumer technology in healthcare particularly those with heart issues.

Researchers hope the technology can assist in early detection of atrial fibrillation, the most common form of irregular heartbeat. Patients with untreated atrial fibrillation are five times more likely to have a stroke.

The results of this largest atrial fibrillation screening and detection study were presented on Saturday at the American College of Cardiology meeting in New Orleans.

Of the 400,000 participants, 0.5 percent, or about 2,000 subjects, received notifications of an irregular pulse. Those people were sent an ECG (electrocardiography) patch to wear for subsequent detection of atrial fibrillation episodes.

A third of those whose watches detected an irregular pulse were confirmed to have atrial fibrillation using the ECG technology, researchers said.

Some 84 percent of the irregular pulse notifications were later confirmed to have been atrial fibrillation episodes, data showed.

For Apple, the data provides firepower as it pushes into healthcare. Its new Series 4 Watch, which became available only after the study began so was not used, has the ability to take an electrocardiogram to detect heart problems and required clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Analysts deem it an important study as use of this type of wearable technology is only going to become more widespread.

“The physician can use the information from the study, combine it with their assessment … and then guide clinical decisions around what to do with an alert,” said Dr. Marco Perez, one of the study’s lead investigators from Stanford School of Medicine.

The study also found that 57 percent of participants who received an alert on their watch sought medical attention.