You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Can the Apple Watch differentiate between Atrial Flutter and Atrial Fibrillation?

Can the Apple Watch differentiate between Atrial Flutter and Atrial Fibrillation?


Posted on Jun 14, 2021 10:51 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 14, 2021 11:23 AM

The ECG app can record your heartbeat and rhythm using the electrical heart sensor on Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, or Series 6* and then check the recording for atrial fibrillation (AFib), a form of irregular rhythm.

The ECG app records an electrocardiogram which represents the electrical pulses that make your heart beat. The ECG app checks these pulses to get your heart rate and see if the upper and lower chambers of your heart are in rhythm. If they’re out of rhythm, that could be AFib.

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 14, 2021 11:23 AM in response to BresciaUK

The ECG app can record your heartbeat and rhythm using the electrical heart sensor on Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, or Series 6* and then check the recording for atrial fibrillation (AFib), a form of irregular rhythm.

The ECG app records an electrocardiogram which represents the electrical pulses that make your heart beat. The ECG app checks these pulses to get your heart rate and see if the upper and lower chambers of your heart are in rhythm. If they’re out of rhythm, that could be AFib.

Jun 14, 2021 1:10 PM in response to Community User

Thank you. However, I think the upper and lower chambers could be out of rhythm with atrial flutter as well, since with Flutter, the atrial chamber may beat 4 times for every one ventrical beat. But it sounds like the watch can't tell flutter and fibrillation apart. I think fibrillation is more serious because it is more likely to cause a stroke. I have both, and that is why I was hoping the watch could tell the difference.


Jun 16, 2021 6:06 PM in response to BresciaUK

Actually, in atrial flutter, the atria and ventricles are in rhythm. E.g. in 4:1 flutter, every 4th atrial beat is conducted and causes the ventricular to contract. The other 3 beats can’t conduct to the ventricular because the rate is too fast and the pathway is not receptive. In atrial fibrillation, the atrial activity is chaotic and only random impulses are conducted thus leading to an irregular ventricular rate. Note that very premature extra beats can fool your Apple Watch into thinking you might be in atrial fib.

Jun 16, 2021 7:21 PM in response to Pajarito95

Thank you!!! That was an extremely accurate and helpful response because I have been deliberating over having an ablation to correct A-Fib. I will discuss with my Doctor, but I suspect that most of my Apple Watch 6 Atrial Fibrillation indications are actually Atrial Flutter, as during a 30 second Watch ECG, my Heart Rate is still very low, I have no symptoms, and I had been previously diagnosed by a Doctor as having Atrial Flutter with a premature beat. Your answer correlates exactly with what I have read, and with what I believe is my situation. Thanks again!

Can the Apple Watch differentiate between Atrial Flutter and Atrial Fibrillation?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.