A lot of comments but not a lot of experience - which is understandable because small population has problems. They make wearable ECG's "patches" such as the iRhythm Zio that can be worn for continuous monitoring for up to 14 days usually. Every heart beat is recorded (not just sampled like with Apple Watch or ECG done manually like an Apple Watch ECG) and there is a button to press if you experience any symptom so those can have a more thorough review. They just stick in on the left upper chest area. Fairly unobtrusive. Again, this continuously monitors - while resting, exercising, sleeping, etc. Apple Watch has a role to play for sure, but it isn't continuous and seems to cause more concern than actually catching anything. AFib is something that increases certain health risks but mostly isn't the boggy man waiting to kill you. Glad this doctor had the knowledge to figure it out "early" ... surprised he hadn't had a stress test at his age already?
You describe a rythm Holter, a multi channel portable ECG device. The point is, when you feel odd, the Holter is not available (unless you make one ready at home and pay a fortune for its analysis software). You go to the hospital and the symptom may have gone away already when they attach one to your chest. Apple Watch is always present and you have always chance to record the symptom as soon as it happens. The concern issue is just a stress management thing. If you have to be concerned you don't need Apple Watch, you can use any thing or event for that.
No, I am NOT describing a Holter - those things are HUGE with wires. The iRhythm Zio is tiny (a "patch" that is 100% self contained with sensors, battery etc.) and inexpensive and monitors EVERY heartbeat....ECG....for days. Very effective. You clearly do not know what you are talking about so why even comment? Apple Watch does not continuously monitor heartbeats (it samples) and the ECG function you have to manually do. The Apple Watch AFIb detection is from sampling and comparing samples to known AFib patient patterns. I was a full participant in the Sanford AFib heart study ... which by the way had nothing to do with Apple Watch ECG feature. Back to the article and the doctor, I am surprised he was clueless about having ADVANCED coronary artery disease AND a serious heart valve problem. A simple 2 minute heart CT with calcification score (test under $100) would have reveled the issue. At 66 years old and being male, he should have had that test especially if he had higher cholesterol levels, smoked, overweight, or any symptoms. Basically his exercise was a mini stress test which revealed the issue to follow up with regardless of his analysis of his ECG. If you experience shortness of breath, dizziness, or irregular beats while excising, at full lead ECG and stress test would be in order for your next physical with you PCP. https://www.irhythmtech.com/professionals/why-zio
You gave iRhytm Zio as an example only and ("such as") and the signal to noise ratio in your vague description does not reveal enough information to differentiate a more general and more known Holter device from your Zio. So it is very natural and understandable people don't understand what you're talking about. AlsoZio does not exist in my country so enjoy your pedantism I am not offended. I will simply point out to the facts you have hidden when commenting: you hid first the fact that it is a prescription device and yet you still compared the publicly and more broadly available Apple Watch ECG to that prescription device. You also hid the fact that it is single-channel just like Apple Watch ECG. If one of your physicians would prescribe to me that device I would reject it and I would demand a regular multichannel Holter device since I also wear an Apple Watch that I can trigger whenever I feel odd.
Dude. I didn't hide anything. Wear a Holter if you want to. The point is, there are inexpensive "patches" that monitor every beat even when sleeping and exercising to catch an issue while it happens. The Apple Watch - which I have the latest - serves very limited purpose.
I don't mean to take away from the positive message of this story and I love my Apple Watch as much as the next person. But in this case, I'm sure I would say it was the Apple Watch that saved this person's life. Truth be told, he could have done the same with any at-home portable ECG device. To be honest, I would say that fact that he was an anesthesiologist and his medical knowledge probably saved his life more than anything else.
Anyway, it is still a positive story and I'm happy he is on the road to good health...and no doubt the Apple Watch is an incredible device whose application far exceeds that of just setting alarms and knowing the time.
I think you may have overlook a key point - "during a workout, an ECG is perform" at that exact moment in time. This is extremely useful and important. I have close buddy who suffered heart issue and went through surgery after months of inability for the doctors to diagnose what's wrong. It took the 5th attack of heavy heart pondering symptom which he was finally able to reach A&E within 15-20 mins while the symptom was still occurring for the medical team to finally pick up what is happening and acknowledge there is indeed a serious problem. He went for the first surgery within a short timeframe, and 1-2 months later, a second surgery (cause the doctor worries if his body can take both surgeries done at one go). Unfortunately, this happened before Watch Series 4 was even announced/available, and he was having Watch Series 3 back then.
To summarise, ECG is mostly only useful when done during symptom happens. This seems to be pretty common knowledge with doctors I have spoken to. Often than not, ECG done during normal times usually do not pick up many of the heart problems/diseases that ain't having persistent/constant symptom.
Wow...that was really helpful and informative. Indeed, I lacked this knowledge when I made the post. Thank you for taking the time to explain to me.
Imagine if more people responded to new information like this. So refreshing.
Indeed! What a gracious response!
Agreed.
The sarcasm, intransigence and vitriol on the internet (and this forum) often makes me close forum tabs and move onto the next story. When I read the above I had to double-take to check it wasn't sarcasm. Very refreshing.
A lot of comments but not a lot of experience - which is understandable because small population has problems. They make wearable ECG's "patches" such as the iRhythm Zio that can be worn for continuous monitoring for up to 14 days usually. Every heart beat is recorded (not just sampled like with Apple Watch or ECG done manually like an Apple Watch ECG) and there is a button to press if you experience any symptom so those can have a more thorough review. They just stick in on the left upper chest area. Fairly unobtrusive. Again, this continuously monitors - while resting, exercising, sleeping, etc. Apple Watch has a role to play for sure, but it isn't continuous and seems to cause more concern than actually catching anything. AFib is something that increases certain health risks but mostly isn't the boggy man waiting to kill you. Glad this doctor had the knowledge to figure it out "early" ... surprised he hadn't had a stress test at his age already?
You describe a rythm Holter, a multi channel portable ECG device. The point is, when you feel odd, the Holter is not available (unless you make one ready at home and pay a fortune for its analysis software). You go to the hospital and the symptom may have gone away already when they attach one to your chest. Apple Watch is always present and you have always chance to record the symptom as soon as it happens. The concern issue is just a stress management thing. If you have to be concerned you don't need Apple Watch, you can use any thing or event for that.
No, I am NOT describing a Holter - those things are HUGE with wires. The iRhythm Zio is tiny (a "patch" that is 100% self contained with sensors, battery etc.) and inexpensive and monitors EVERY heartbeat....ECG....for days. Very effective. You clearly do not know what you are talking about so why even comment? Apple Watch does not continuously monitor heartbeats (it samples) and the ECG function you have to manually do. The Apple Watch AFIb detection is from sampling and comparing samples to known AFib patient patterns. I was a full participant in the Sanford AFib heart study ... which by the way had nothing to do with Apple Watch ECG feature. Back to the article and the doctor, I am surprised he was clueless about having ADVANCED coronary artery disease AND a serious heart valve problem. A simple 2 minute heart CT with calcification score (test under $100) would have reveled the issue. At 66 years old and being male, he should have had that test especially if he had higher cholesterol levels, smoked, overweight, or any symptoms. Basically his exercise was a mini stress test which revealed the issue to follow up with regardless of his analysis of his ECG. If you experience shortness of breath, dizziness, or irregular beats while excising, at full lead ECG and stress test would be in order for your next physical with you PCP. https://www.irhythmtech.com/professionals/why-zio
You gave iRhytm Zio as an example only and ("such as") and the signal to noise ratio in your vague description does not reveal enough information to differentiate a more general and more known Holter device from your Zio. So it is very natural and understandable people don't understand what you're talking about. AlsoZio does not exist in my country so enjoy your pedantism I am not offended. I will simply point out to the facts you have hidden when commenting: you hid first the fact that it is a prescription device and yet you still compared the publicly and more broadly available Apple Watch ECG to that prescription device. You also hid the fact that it is single-channel just like Apple Watch ECG. If one of your physicians would prescribe to me that device I would reject it and I would demand a regular multichannel Holter device since I also wear an Apple Watch that I can trigger whenever I feel odd.
Dude. I didn't hide anything. Wear a Holter if you want to. The point is, there are inexpensive "patches" that monitor every beat even when sleeping and exercising to catch an issue while it happens. The Apple Watch - which I have the latest - serves very limited purpose.
The people still alive thanks to the Apple Watch would probs disagree with your take on it "serv[ing] [a] very limited purpose".
You know, the tool that beyond saving people's lives by detecting heart problems also have saved people in car crashes, and after bad falls, and from rapists and robbers and murderers.
Comments
The sarcasm, intransigence and vitriol on the internet (and this forum) often makes me close forum tabs and move onto the next story. When I read the above I had to double-take to check it wasn't sarcasm. Very refreshing.
You know, the tool that beyond saving people's lives by detecting heart problems also have saved people in car crashes, and after bad falls, and from rapists and robbers and murderers.
Have you invested in, or are employed by, iRythm?