Apple and researchers from Stanford Medicine released some new results from a study of more than 400,000 participants, who were given Apple Watches eight months ago to monitor their heart rhythm to signs of a medical condition known as atrial fibrillation. The watches are not the newest version, which has an electrocardiogram built-in, but are able to detect abnormal heartbeats.
Atrial fibrillation is an important health target for Apple, as it impacts up to six million people in the United States, but many of them have not been diagnosed. For some people, especially those over the age of 65, the condition can put them at a higher risk for serious health complications, including strokes.
Not all the results have been published. But the researchers shared that of the approximately 419,000 people who participated in the study, about 0.5 percent received a notification about an irregular heartbeat. Medical experts shared a few theories on this."It's possible that the folks who didn't follow through were primarily those who didn't have really bothersome symptoms," said Kumal Dharmarajan, a cardiologist and chief scientific officer at a health insurance company, Clover Health. Dharmarajan also made the point that the patch, which is worn on the chest, is not as enticing to wear as an Apple Watch, which might explain the drop-off.