Tim Cook Tweets Story of User's Apple Watch Detecting Atrial Fibrillation

[MacRumors]

Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared a story on Twitter of an Apple Watch that alerted its user to atrial fibrillation, potentially saving their life in the process.

Elissa Lombardo tweeted Cook with her husband's experience with Apple Watch that occurred just two days after he started wearing the device.

The smartwatch's ECG feature detected the case of A-Fib during an elevated heart rate, which led her husband to seek medical attention.

Medical professionals apparently discovered a "major blockage" in his arteries but were able to correct the problem, and two days later he was feeling fine again.

According to Lombardo, her husband presented with similar symptoms in the past, but on those occasions he never visited the emergency room to get them checked out.

Glad to hear your husband is feeling better, Elissa. Stories like yours inspire us -- thanks for letting us know! https://t.co/A7eV4tgS4U - Tim Cook (@tim_cook) January 16, 2019

This isn't the first time an Apple Watch has potentially saved someone's life. When the ECG feature launched in December in the U.S., TIME published a story about a 46-year-old Texas resident who was having trouble breathing normally.

Fortunately, since he was wearing an Apple Watch and participating in the recent Apple Heart Study, he was alerted to signs of an irregular heartbeat and went to the emergency room.

At the hospital, doctors hooked him up to an ECG machine and found signs of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke and other potentially fatal complications. He spent the next few days in the hospital while doctors returned him to a normal sinus heart rhythm.

Article Link: Tim Cook Tweets Story of User's Apple Watch Detecting Atrial Fibrillation

 

[FreshBoy]

Any word when the ECG feature will be activated in Ireland and the EU?

 

[sunapple]

I wish features like this and LTE rolled out world-wide, but I understand why that takes time. Watch is finally something more than an iPhone remote now, cool.

 

[NoSoup4U]

Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared a story on Twitter of an Apple Watch that alerted its user to atrial fibrillation, potentially saving their life in the process.

Elissa Lombardo tweeted Cook with her husband's experience with Apple Watch that occurred just two days after he started wearing the device.

The smartwatch's ECG feature detected the case of A-Fib during an elevated heart rate, which led her husband to seek medical attention.

Medical professionals apparently discovered a "major blockage" in his arteries but were able to correct the problem, and two days later he was feeling fine again.

According to Lombardo, her husband presented with similar symptoms in the past, but on those occasions he never visited the emergency room to get them checked out.

​

This isn't the first time an Apple Watch has potentially saved someone's life. When the ECG feature launched in December in the U.S., TIME published a story about a 46-year-old Texas resident who was having trouble breathing normally.

Fortunately, since he was wearing an Apple Watch and participating in the recent Apple Heart Study, he was alerted to signs of an irregular heartbeat and went to the emergency room.

At the hospital, doctors hooked him up to an ECG machine and found signs of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke and other potentially fatal complications. He spent the next few days in the hospital while doctors returned him to a normal sinus heart rhythm.

Article Link: Tim Cook Tweets Story of User's Apple Watch Detecting Atrial Fibrillation

[doublepost=1547641560][/doublepost]"Two stents later" didn't mean two days, but after surgery to put in two stents...

 

[djcerla]

I’m in Italy and want my life saved, too! Come on Tim.

 

[unibility]

[doublepost=1547641560][/doublepost]"Two stents later" didn't mean two days, but after surgery to put in two stents...

Times when down voting should be an option.

 

[Sasparilla]

I’m in Italy and want my life saved, too! Come on Tim.

Guessing its not up to Tim, probably any schedule with have to do with the appropriate medical regulatory organizations of each and every country they'll have to roll it out in being the deciding factor - and most medical orgs aren't fast moving.

A bit like every country's banking sector holding back how fast Apple Pay could be rolled out. JMHO...

 

[Chopper read]

I’m in Italy and want my life saved, too! Come on Tim.

Apparently you guys have healthy hearts with the mediterranean diets so will probably last in the queue

 

[arkitect]

Apparently you guys have healthy hearts with the mediterranean diets so will probably last in the queue

Alas, that used to be true…



Leading ten fast food chains in Italy as of December 2018

Edit: Seems they even have ambulances on standby outside.

 

[Zxxv]

Meanwhile in the UK people are writing Tim on how they are dead and how the feature could have saved their lives.

 

[djbuddha]

As I posted in the mankind* thread....

*US Only

 

[kissmo]

Apparently you guys have healthy hearts with the mediterranean diets so will probably last in the queue

I totally agree. After last summer trip to Italy where I saw 90% of people in top shape, eating healthy and then doing some research (where I found out Italy is in the top countries in the world due to their lifestyle and food) I think you they are the last ones to need this feature.

What is funny though ... people would still dig in burgers and all the crap and pay extra to detect if they are about to die...
I appreciate Apple for this, and it makes sense especially for those who have genetic problems, and you never know. But a healthy lifestyle should not be pushed aside just because now there are devices who signal you are about to die.

Either way, Apple Watch does promote moving and since I bought it I am burning around 1000 calories daily instead of 4-500 before.

So kudos for Apple, no doubt. I think Apple watch has the top features here and they are leading the market.
I have colleagues with other brands and they don't even come close.

 

[Marzel]

And of course the profile of the woman that Tim cook is replying to has never written anything else on twitter or has a profile pic or info.

 

[bbednarz]

Meanwhile in the UK people are writing Tim on how they are dead and how the feature could have saved their lives.

They should probably be taking it up with the proper medical regulatory boards then. Don't you think Apple would like to have this feature activated around the world?

 

[Dave245]

In my opinion the Apple Watch is one of Apples best products to date, alongside the AirPods of course

Now if only Apple would release a new iMac!

 

[jazz1]

In my opinion the Apple Watch is one of Apples best products to date, alongside the AirPods of course

Now if only Apple would release a new iMac!

If they did we'd probably have a heart attack

 

[centauratlas]

They should probably be taking it up with the proper medical regulatory boards then. Don't you think Apple would like to have this feature activated around the world?

You are exactly right. Apple would activate this everywhere if they were legally permitted to do so. The problem is not Apple, but the regulations in the places it is not active. Seems like some misplaced blame in some of the messages above.

 

[NinjaHERO]

Love my watch but I can hardly get this feature to work. Normally it counts down from 30 to about 28 or 29 seconds and resets. I've only managed to get it to finish the cycle twice since it was released. Is anyone else having this issue?

I assume for me it's because I have a ninja heart and it's hiding from the watch? ;-)

 

[spazzcat]

Meanwhile in the UK people are writing Tim on how they are dead and how the feature could have saved their lives.

Those people should write their government to speed up the process of approving the feature...

 

[hsotnicam8002]

Those people should write their government to speed up the process of approving the feature...

Approval in at least a couple of other territories would have been nice since the feature was a major marketing ploy.

 

[Zxxv]

They should probably be taking it up with the proper medical regulatory boards then. Don't you think Apple would like to have this feature activated around the world?

Bet you’re fun at parties. It was a joke. You know.
[doublepost=1547658658][/doublepost]

Those people should write their government to speed up the process of approving the feature...

See reply to person above

 

[Dave245]

If they did we'd probably have a heart attack

It’s literally what I’m waiting for from Apple, I got fed up with them on the laptop front and brought a Surface Pro on Black Friday. I’m hoping they won’t dissapoint with iMac updates!

 

[bbednarz]

Bet you’re fun at parties. It was a joke. You know.
[doublepost=1547658658][/doublepost]

See reply to person above

Take a look around these boards. It is not far fetched to think people would blame Apple for it. Apologies for the misinterpretation.

 

[Zxxv]

Take a look around these boards. It is not far fetched to think people would blame Apple for it. Apologies for the misinterpretation.

Thanks for understanding
Have a great day

 

[simonmet]

[doublepost=1547641560][/doublepost]"Two stents later" didn't mean two days, but after surgery to put in two stents...

I guess it could’ve been done in two days, but seems unlikely!