Medlife Crisis
Will the Apple Watch save lives? I’m an academic cardiologist & this is an in-depth, unbiased look at the science & implications of the exciting new ECG heart monitor function.
I’m a tech fan, an advocate for people to take an interest in their health, and a practicing heart doctor, so this is big news for me. But amongst all the glowing media coverage, I wanted to explain the considerable implications of something like this.
I analyse the science, the statistics, the medicine and what it may mean for you, if you buy an Apple Watch. Edit: And yes, I know it’s not called an iWatch, tbh I shot this in a hurry at work and didn’t even realise I had said iWatch until later. I mostly use the term to wind up my Apple fanboi buddy Simon. Judging by some of the comments, it winds up more people than just Simon.
My video on medical over-testing:
If anything is unclear, please ask me here or on Twitter – I do answer every question.
– Dr Rohin Francis
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Venk Murthy’s Apple Watch Tweetorial: https://twitter.com/venkmurthy/status/1042110544457674753
John Mandrola’s Apple Watch article: https://medium.com/s/story/im-a-heart-doctor-heres-why-im-wary-of-the-new-apple-watch-2b1999f2d942
Julian Halcox’s Alivecor (REHEARSE-AF) study: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.030583?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed
Joy Victory’s Apple Watch article: https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2018/09/what-did-journalists-overlook-about-the-apple-watch-heart-monitor-feature/
May 2018 JAMA Cardiology Smart Watch study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2675364?redirect=true
Apple Heart (Stanford) study: https://med.stanford.edu/appleheartstudy/faq.html
Music:
Tango de Manzana by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licence, downloaded from https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?collection=15
Note: Medlife Crisis is the original author of this video, we just embed it, if you have any questions please contact him via Youtube.
Excellent video! To me, medicine is characterized by a few things including 1) the notion of fear and the unknown and 2) excess and these are encapsulated in life-and-death. Those are distinctly different from tech, which for the most part is a nice to have but can live without it. This incompatibility amplifies the potential fear and this in itself create more excess. If Apple does not play its cards right, they could have just opened a giant can of worms. And the FDA won’t always be run by people who will allow this kind of thing.
It’s been 5 years now I would love a update
Brilliant video. Balance of science and rational interpretation wrapped up in wonderful British wit. Many thanks for taking the time to make this content. 😊
You forgot to mention the most logical treatment.
Keep an eye on the warning from the watch.
If warnings become more frequent then proceed with less invasive tests.
Love it!
doctor u need samsung watch 6 dont leave android for useless apple 🍏 🍏
This is the first Fitbit I have used. It has some new features https://www.youtube.com/post/Ugkxbkrje8Y7BaqRkAjimw-55ajvVo7RbcIp and I like the information that it gives me.I think the phone app could be designed to be a bit more accommodating, as it can be confusing to use. The rubber band is comfortable, and normally I do not like rubber bands for my watches, but this is comfortable.I am looking forward to seeing if this helps me stay accountable in my fitness endeavors!My only gripe is the box was very damaged when it arrived, however, the tracker is performing perfectly!
Adam and Eve had a few problems with an apple
Great information thanks
The goodfellas scene 🤣
I’ll risk the chance of false positive…for the chance of saving my life.
Still relevant today. Would like to see a follow-up video discussing how we as users of this tech can use health devices and data responsibly without fixating on it in a negative way.
👌👌👌😅
Personal bookmarks shared :
2:00 PVC 2:20 case 2:30 stroke 2:59 black 3:25 clue : multiple watches different locations sync for multi derivation like 3:59 errors 5:00 stats 5:40 idea sonogram 6:15 spread 6:24 tennis 6:40 ischemia study 9:00 tradeoff 9:10 permanent 10:55 invasive 13:27 I am heart doctor articles + links 14:22 vs
1:50 for those of you that want to skip the intro.
Since this doesn't change the way you would diagnose it, how would it differ from other early symptoms and signs? If I go to the doc with chest pains, then all of the same things could follow as well.
I have recommended left atrial appendage occlusion device for my brain hemorrhage pts on anticoagulation. One weekend I saw 13 ICH patients in ER in 48 hours. I hate anticoagulation and strokes.
Your body is water, your blood is water — when you put electronic devices near water — IT IS A VERY BAD THING. Keep electronic devices away from you.
My Apple Watch Series 7 detected AFib and I went to the doctor and hospital and they diagnosed me with heart flutter and AFib like the Watch said. Thanks Apple you potentially saved my life.
@MedlifeCrisis – thanks for the great input as usual. Good lafs too. I totally agree with the false test issue – I tried a 2-contact ekg and got so much misinformation that no decent doctor would care to use/see. Today, all I'm really looking for is a relatively affordable and commensurately accurate wearable monitor with min/max heart rate for mainly workout where I would set ~99 min ~115 max, and maybe one for conference calls at ~55min to ~85max (and hang up at 90 bpm before I start swearing over the mute button).
Why denigrate an excellent technology development? I’m astonished and frustrated by the tendency of the medical community to want to keep the population dumb. It’s obvious that nobody is going to prescribe anti coagulants on the basis of the results from an Apple watch alone. What it does is flag a potential problem so that people can be properly monitored. All medical procedures will involve risk analysis. Clearly nobody is going to have an invasive procedure if the risk outweighs the potential benefit. 🤬
Do fitness trackers help with weight loss?
Apple Watch + FDA + AHA = p(AHII + AM-CI + APM)
see if you can figure out the other abbreviations.
Apple Watch comes with the FDA greatest hits, with such memorable hits like: tobacco, thalidomide, Johnson’s Baby Powder, Silicon Breast Implants, De Puy hip implants, margarine, and the unforgettable glyphosate aka RoundUp…..you’ll never need to worry about weeds in your garden ……because you’ll be dead from cancer!
I have atrial fib. I had an ablation 3 years ago. It was very successful. I was taken off blood thinners but had a Medtronic loop recorder implanted. The battery is is depleting. My electrophysiologist wants to take out the recorder and told me he can keep me off blood thinners if I get an Apple Watch and monitor for recurrence of afib episodes. Seems like a reasonably good and appropriate uses of the heart rhythm feature on the Apple Watch. Is this correct?
as a young person with consistent PVC’s and afib and when I try to get a heart rythm on an apple watch it just said it wasn’t able to read, it’s useless if you actually have consistent irregular heartbeats
Thanks you just saved me some money!
It’s been 3 years, I’d love to see an updated take for how much impact he has noticed in his practice and if he’s had an increase in people worried about symptoms?
Standard doctor opinion… "It makes my job harder so I don't like it." It used to be doctors complaining that patients were using the internet to educate themselves and becoming annoying, now its just a complaint that they can see inside themselves without your permission and an office visit. I assure you that people paying closer attention to their health with a heart sensor is better than obsessing over crushing candy like they were going to.
"I have a problem with medicalizing every day life"
Me too. And I can't shake the problem!
7:55 i though you were going to reccomend him ''a course of leeches''
Great video. Personally I don’t care about the AF feature on the watch. Just heart rate for workouts, and mostly the fall detection feature.
As discombobulated a video as one could hope to find! Best of luck!
I am a grandparent and got an iWatch in case I fall or faint. It's way cooler than the white button you wear around your neck. It's set up to nag me to stand and to move. I hope that is beneficial.
I'm joking. You know if Apple did something to track your heart if you do cocaine would do more sense. Jokes a part. Your heart is a pump working 24/7 for 70-90 years. Glitches will eventually happen with no consequences. Don't be paranoid, enjoy your life
Wait… are you a scientist? I thought you were a medical doctor (which isn’t a scientist, medical doctors just apply what scientist learn from doing science… and that includes doing phds )… just curious.
Thanks
If buying an apple watch for a senior person and primarily for the acute health features (such as detecting a fall), is there a good justification to buying the apple watch series 7 over the SE, or are the cardiology features non essential in this respect? I would really appreciate your thoughts on this.
But if your an elder person with symptoms of hart problems, and other sickness and a history of strokes. What is then your thinking. Would it be a good 💡 then, so the person can have a bit more information when she has symptoms and gant get into a place where the do the tests.
9:10 permanent as fuck
I didn't expect a doc talking like you just did. Appreciate your inputs.