"Needless to say I called my doctor and was told to get to the emergency room immediately" — Apple's cheapest Watch just saved another life
You don't need the best to stay safe.
Apple's cheapest wearable has just been credited with saving another life, proving you don't have to buy the best Apple Watch on the market to benefit from life-saving tech yet again.
User V3N0M0US83 took to the Apple Watch Subreddit this week and revealed "Apple Watch saved my life this past weekend." "I have an SE 2 and Thursday my watch had gone off saying my heart rate was above 120 bpm," they explained. The user ignored the alerts "as I didn't feel any discomfort," but got two more heart rate alerts while sitting at the kitchen table the following day.
"I opened the heart rate app and my bpm was at 161 while resting." The user's girlfriend, a medical assistant in training, gave their heart a listen with a stethoscope "and said my heart was beating out of my chest." Turns out, they needed life-saving treatment.
Apple Watch saves another life
"Needless to say I called my doctor and was told to get to the emergency room immediately." Turns out, they were suffering from an Afib flutter, an abnormal heart rhythm that causes the heart to beat too fast. Atrial flutter is less common than atrial fibrillation, but both can carry symptoms including feeling faint, tiredness, palpitations, shortness of breath, or dizziness. Untreated, they can carry an increased risk of stroke.
In the hospital, the user received cardiovert treatment, low-energy shocks designed to restore a regular heart rhythm. An ECG all-clear later, and they were able to go home. "If anyone is on the fence about getting a watch, I highly recommend doing so!," they concluded.
While Apple's wearable lineup includes the rugged Apple Watch UItra 2 and mainstream Apple Watch Series 9, both are much more expensive than the Apple Watch SE, which you can pick up in an early Prime Day Apple Watch deal for as little as $189, including that all-important heart rate monitor.
Apple Watch SE 2 GPS | $249 $189 at Amazon
Looking for an entry-level Apple Watch? You won't find one for less than $189 and the Apple Watch SE 2 is a fantastic starting point. In the past we would've recommended the first generation but that will not support watchOS 11 when it launches later this year.
Price check: $249 at Best Buy | $249 at Apple
More from iMore
- 5 Times an Apple Watch saved a life — and how it did it
- With another life saved, maybe it's time I buy every member of my family one
- Apple Watch saves the life of a 'lucky' kayaker swept out to sea
Master your iPhone in minutes
iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!
Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9
-
rumplestiltskin Bought a Fitbit Charge 5. Two days later it reported I was in Afib. Went to hospital and, luckily, a new medication did the conversion (rather then a "shock"). Was put on blood thinner, as well. So, yes, these devices can save your life.Reply