HT204666: Your heart rate. What it means, and where on Apple Watch you’ll find it.

Learn about Your heart rate. What it means, and where on Apple Watch you’ll find it.
slalomer

Q: Will the watch accurately record heart rate if you have atrial fibrillation?

Will the Apple Watch accurately record heart rate where atrial fibrillation is present?

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Posted on Jun 16, 2016 4:00 PM

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Q: Will the watch accurately record heart rate if you have atrial fibrillation?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Jun 16, 2016 4:21 PM in response to slalomer
    Level 7 (33,611 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 16, 2016 4:21 PM in response to slalomer

    Hi

     

    Information about how and when Apple Watch measures your heart rate - and about some of the factors that can affect the reliability of readings - is available here:

     

    Your heart rate. What it means, and where on Apple Watch you’ll find it. - Apple Support

     

    Note that Apple Watch, the heart rate sensor and the included Apple Watch apps are not medical devices and are intended for fitness purposes only. They are not designed or intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease.

     

    More information:

    https://help.apple.com/watch/#/apdcf2ff54e9

  • by slalomer,

    slalomer slalomer Jun 16, 2016 4:32 PM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 16, 2016 4:32 PM in response to Jonathan UK

    I'm looking for a yes/no answer.

  • by Lawrence Finch,Solvedanswer

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Jun 17, 2016 8:44 AM in response to slalomer
    Level 8 (37,947 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 17, 2016 8:44 AM in response to slalomer

    Ah, so many of us want simple answers. There is no yes/no answer to that question. Afib exhibits an uneven and varying strength pulse rate. As it's uneven, the watch may or may not sense every beat. So the general answer is no. But Afib also results in a very rapid heart rate, so IF the watch senses every beat it will show a very high heart rate.

     

    So I guess the answer is that an Apple watch is not an appropriate tool for diagnosing afib. But if you have an afib incident you will know it immediately from the external symptoms (weakness, palpitations, irregular pulse), and you can easily check it yourself by feeling your pulse.

  • by damsdv,

    damsdv damsdv Jun 16, 2016 6:54 PM in response to slalomer
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 16, 2016 6:54 PM in response to slalomer

    If you were to purchase a pulse oximeter, that basically does the same thing as the apple watch, it would also not be able to diagnose/identify Afib on its own; so I would very much doubt that the apple watch would be able to do it. You could however use it to assist you with managing the issue but not as a stand alone item to do so.

  • by slalomer,

    slalomer slalomer Jun 17, 2016 8:49 AM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 17, 2016 8:49 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

    Thanks. I wasn't looking to diagnose a fib.  That's a foregone conclusion. Just wanted to know if it would accurately record heart rate where a fib is actually present. From your answer I'm going to conclude that it will not.  Just saved me some money and frustration.

  • by sberman,

    sberman sberman Jun 17, 2016 9:42 PM in response to slalomer
    Level 8 (39,612 points)
    Jun 17, 2016 9:42 PM in response to slalomer

    I agree with your conclusion and the remarks of the above contributors.

     

    I would add, however, that you may (if you wish) contribute to atrial fibrillation research using an Apple Watch as described here:

     

    http://www.macrumors.com/2016/06/09/cardiogram-app-update-native-apple-watch-sup port/

     

    (I have no financial interest in this study.  I am a participant - "customer".)