The Apple Watch has been considered a good fitness tracker since it was first released in 2015. However, subsequent generations have brought additional hardware features. The latest Apple Watch can detect and track specific health-related data.
Caution: Apple Watch is not a medical device
It is very important to keep in mind that Apple Watch is not a substitute for your doctor in any way. also not a medical device. It is a smartwatch. Apple Watch can take some measurements, but it cannot make a diagnosis. If you are concerned about the measurements or results you receive from your watch, contact your doctor.
See also: iPhone & Apple Watches: They will be able to detect a car accident
Let's see what Apple Watches can detect right now (based on the research that has been done so far).
Apple Watch: Heart Rate
Apple Watch has two ways to measure heart rate:
- Apple Watch Series 1 or later: Uses an optical heart rate sensor.
- Apple Watch Series 4 or later (excluding the first SE model released in 2020): They use an electrical sensor used by the ECG app.
The optical heart rate sensor can detect if you have an unusually high or low heart rate. By default, if your heart rate remains above 120 bpm after 10 minutes of inactivity or drops below 40 bpm for 10 minutes, you will receive an alert.
If you want, you can change these limits from within the Watch app on your iPhone. Go to the “Heart” section and set a new value for your highest or lowest heart rate.
The electrical heart sensor only works when you use the ECG app. It is more accurate in measuring your heart rate. If a problem is detected, you can record an ECG with the app and then share it with your doctor.
However, you should keep in mind that what may be considered normal for one person may not be for another (depending on each person's medical history). Therefore, everyone sets their own limits based on their own situation.
Either way, if your Apple Watch detects something that concerns you, consult your doctor.
Abnormal heart rhythm
Apple Watch can also measure your heart rate. Specifically, it checks for atrial fibrillation (AFib), an abnormal heart rhythm condition in which the two upper, back chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly, out of sync with the two lower, front chambers of the heart (the ventricles). It can be a serious medical condition or a symptom of another medical issue.
The Apple Watch can be particularly useful in this case because it can detect intermittent events. Conditions like AFib can be difficult to diagnose because they don't always occur while you're sitting comfortably in the doctor's office.
However, users can't rely on the Apple Watch alone. The Apple Watch's ability to detect irregular heartbeats is supported by a large-scale study, but it's not measured consistently. You could have AFib and never get a notification. There could also be false positives, meaning you get a notification but don't have AFib.
This feature is only available in certain countries due to different requirements. In Australia, for example, the Apple Watch must be approved as a medical device to enable this feature.
Where available, it is not intended for use in people under 22 years of age or in people already diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
See also: Smartwatches for kids: A security and privacy nightmare
To use it, you'll need to enable irregular heart rhythm detection. To do this, open the Health app on your iPhone and go to Heart > Irregular Rhythm Notifications. Then, tap "Set Up Notifications." You'll need to provide some information to confirm that they're eligible for use.
AppleWatch about noisy environments
Hearing loss usually develops gradually over time. The more someone is exposed to noisy environments, the greater the chance of developing hearing problems.
The Noise app (available on Apple Watch SE and Series 4 or later) can measure the sound level in your environment and let you know if it exceeds a certain threshold (80 dB, by default). From there, you can decide what to do to protect your hearing.
To set this feature or change the limit, go to Settings > Noise on your watch.
Fall detection
Apple Watch also includes another useful feature, fall detection, which is not a rare occurrence and can be fatal to health and physical integrity. A fall from a motorcycle, bicycle or ladder can be very dangerous. Fortunately, Apple Watch can “understand” when this happens and automatically call emergency services.
Learn more: Apple Watch saved an injured driver by calling for help!
However, as always, there are some caveats. There is no guarantee that the Apple Watch will detect all falls. False positives can also be triggered.
When you set up your watch, you will be given the option to enable fall detection.
Apple Watch and health: How will it evolve in the future?
The Apple Watch Series 6 also added a sensor to measure the amount of oxygen that red blood cells are carrying from your lungs to the rest of your body. The feature is also available on the Apple Watch Series 7. For now, it's a fitness and wellness tool rather than a health tracker. However, that will likely change in the future.
Apple recently announced that it is conducting studies on using the Apple Watch to detect a variety of health-related issues, including asthma, heart failure, influenza, and COVID-19. Just a few years ago, a research paper showed how an Apple Watch can predict diabetes and hypertension.
Source: How-to-geek
