Cincinnati resident Kimmie Watkins is crediting her Apple Watch with saving her from a life-threatening blood clot in her lungs. The 29-year-old was taking a nap recently when her smartwatch alerted her that her heart rate had surged to 178 beats per minute, a dangerously high rate similar to what an athlete would experience at peak performance. "I was asleep for about an hour and a half before my watch woke me up with this alarm that said that my heart rate had been too high for too long," she recalls.
Doctors later diagnosed Watkins with a saddle pulmonary embolism, a serious condition with a 50% survival rate. Because of the health scare, Watkins learned that she has a clotting disorder and now she’s on blood thinners. The experience has made her an advocate for wearable tech. "It might be seen as staying too connected,” she says, “But I think it can be helpful in a health sense."
Dr. Richard Becker, a cardiologist at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine, confirms that consumer heart rate monitors like Apple Watch can be an effective tool in detecting heart rate abnormalities. He’s currently involved in a national study on smartwatches' ability to detect atrial fibrillation, a condition that often goes unnoticed and untreated. Watkins hopes her story will inspire others to recognize the value of this potentially life-saving technology.
Source: 9 TO 5 MAC