Why doctors are worried about the Apple Watch EKG

48 Comments

1. Hey all, a clarification: Dr. Landefeld, and the studies he mentioned, didn't evaluate the Apple Watch EKG feature specifically — his concerns are about EKGs in general. Those concerns are worth considering, regardless of the brand of EKG device. But, only time will tell whether the Apple Watch specifically will have the effects that Dr. Landefeld and Dr. Marcus are wondering about.

2. I noticed the GP doctor and also a nurse having an attitude against the Apple Watch when I told them about it.
   At the ER the nurse told me that their machine will be much better than “your watch” and that “you shouldn’t listen to your watch”, I’m less than an hour she tells me… oh yeah, the EKG machine has picked up aFib now.

3. So the concern is that I get a positive reading and go to the doctor and he looks at the watch and orders up heart surgery, (really)

4. No one is going to get bypass surgery from an Apple Watch, if the watch flagged up an issue they would get proper testing done and if the benefits outweighed the risks, get surgery, or adjust their lifestyle to improve the problem. Doctors are just mad that people no longer have to pay hundreds for routine ekg tests.

5. After everything I’ve learned about doctors throughout this last couple of years I think I probably trust the watch more than trust the doctor anymore

6. So the complaint is that people might be too concerned with being healthy….

7. Completely useless video. It is most likely as your Apple Watch find any irregularity in your heartbeat that there is something wrong. Than visit a doctor to it out. Severe problems will be detected in an early status, very much to the advantage of the watch owner.

8. If it saves 1 live it's worth it, coming back 4 years later this has saved thousands of lives the doctor should have his licence revoked

9. i was sitting on my deck and my watch alerted me that my heartbeat was 135 resting. felt no symptoms. did the watch ecg which showed AFib. went to ER next day and had cardioversion 2days later after AFlutter diagnosed. i would have noticed nothing without watch

10. My Watch and the doctors have saved my life once inside a hot plant facility. I was drinking plenty of water, but my heart beat was too fast and I passed out. They put me into the ambulance, and took me to the ER. They found out that I had a serious heat stroke which caused a blood clot, and only 30% of people survive from it. If it hadn’t been for that Watch, the ambulance would’ve been much later arriving, and I could’ve died. It called emergency services way before my coworkers did. When you’re in that type of situation, every second counts.

11. How would the ekg makers get paid otherwise

12. My ex tried this model, on her first wearing the watch stated, "there is no heart to monitor"…in retrospect, yes

13. This is saving people’s lives. I’d rather keep checking 😒

14. So this people says that “wait till it hurts so much that you can’t breathe then go see a doctor?” Then maybe you’ll be lucky enough, hell no!!. if you won’t cater my needs i’ll go look for other doctors in a different hospital. Thank you for your “expert” opinion but i don’t need it.

15. Hell No!

16. I am very happy that both of my elderly parents and many of my friends elderly parents have this watch. For my father in heart failure we are using it to track all sorts of health data and coordinating it with doctors to see how accurate it is. It is a new device for him but we all feel relieved that he has one. It also is extremely helpful in a fall situation. My friends mother took a bad fall and that watch asked her if she wanted to call 911. This is a product that i feel strongly that all elderly loved one should have.

17. well, i've read in the news of people who runs everyday and they didn't know they had heart problem. Of course, it's kinda rare. There are people who smokes everyday and still lives way longer than those who don't. lol

18. This is silly. The watch obviously is not meant to be a stand alone test. If you let your watch ruin your life then don’t use one. Classic case of data overload? I believe this device is bringing awareness and helping some go to the doctor that otherwise they would never go and get a health check.

19. I'm 70 and have an apple watch for 5 years so there

20. The device is usefful because many people do not go to regular checkups and now they might discover something is wrong and maybe save their life. Buy this watch or any other wearable with health capabilities and scan your body. If you have concerns GO TO DOCTOR! It is always good to have an extra device to survey your health!

21. I dont trust doctors!!!!

22. did i hear that doctor correct. he said you have sinus arrhythmia which is sign of good health. what is he saying.

23. Apple watched turned my life around for the better.. I suddenly noticed how my heart rate jumps up when I stand and no dr ever told me but now I believe I had it since a teen and now I’m in my 30s.. now I since I know I have pots I’ve been able to do certain exserize and life style changes to improve and I also no more see myself as lazy.. I would never want to stand long or walk much and I was bashed for it. Every dr I went to told me it’s just stress. I’m so great full for my watch

24. Id be willing to wager that this tech degenerates myelin sheath

25. Apple need work in anxiety and stress…can use in simple test …

26. Dr. Landefeld doesnt deserve to be in medicine.

27. Hmm I am 65 and have a Apple Watch. Found out I had afib. From my watch. I

28. Thank you for being the dedicated, thoughtful, and compassionate doctor that you are, you are more honest than I imagined, thank you so much Dr Igudia Youtube channel for curing my Diabetes, you are amazing

29. Doctors' "don't bother, you wouldn't understand" vibe is a serious problem for their credibility. Nobody is getting back-alley bypass surgery because their apple watch told them to 😂

30. You try getting a appointment to see a doctor if your not private and paying them. I had 3 TIAs, Lacunar infarct and still cant see a doctor.

31. The Watch can potentially detect a problem early. It is not meant to use as a replacement for regular EKG device. If there’s something serious going on, then you go to the doctor anyways

32. This is utterly worthless!!!! Apple should never be allowed to call it ECG/EKG, because it's not!

33. It's important that this video was made. Thanks Verge.

34. I don’t agree. My watch caught a condition that needed medical attention. I was healthy and under the age of 50.

35. Samsung makes move the watch up.

36. That's stupid. No Dr is going to do a triple bypass based on an apple watch results alone. These Dr's are just worried about their bottom line and enjoy having the social heirchy of being the only ones with access to these things and knowledge.

37. Docs are afraid that patients will have additional information….

38. Don’t get covid vaccine I got myocarditis and a heart arrack

39. My cardiologist recommend I buy one but I had an AF attack a few months back.

40. Oh please…. what's scary is if a doctor decided to do a cabg procedure without assessing other lab work and tests. You don't simply do a cabg based on an ekg strip lmao.

41. There is the possibility that healthcare insurance companies pay tech magazines to spread this notion of “disregard your watch’s warnings”. Insurance companies don’t want to to pay their % on each patient’s surgeries or treatments

42. the second concern is more legitimate. People not at risk may panic and visit the doctor and those who are at risk may not get treatment at the right time.

43. A sinus arrhythmia is not a sigh of good health. What the good doctor meant to say was that it is not a sign of bad health but ideally there is no arrhythmia at all.

44. My Mother & her Brother & Sisters are all in their 80's. 👵
    They all have Apple Watches because they like the fall detection feature.
    My Aunt fell in her back garden recently & her Apple watch detected her fall and offered her assistance straight away. 👍
    Also, my Uncle is 87 yrs old – recently his Apple watch detected an unusual heart rate. ❤️ My Uncle hadn't been feeling well that day anyway, so after his watch detected the unusual heart rate he decided to go to the hospital. He ended up having to stay in hospital for a week due to heart problems.
    The Apple watch is a fantastic device for senior citizens. 👍
    💜💘💜

45. i mean… i have a fitbit charge 5. i noticed my heart was doing something weird it said i have sinus tachycardia. after that i had an impending doom feeling, called the ambulance, they hooked me up to an ekg and it said i have sinus tachycardia… and all of a sudden my heart stopped and they resuscitated me and gave me adenosine and that failed to get my heart rhythm in check. so they cardio verted me 6 times before things went to normal. mind you i was just chillen on the couch, im 26 years old, 180lbs and very active lifestyle. so yea i think its a good tool.

46. While infected with Covid, I was napping one day in deeper sleep than I would call normal.. and my heart rate suddenly went from resting to fast and heart pounded so hard, it woke me up and then within two seconds of awakening, my Apple Watch dinged and notified my of the happening… Ot caught my attention. eventually pounding subsided and I didn’t go to Dr. But Watch did hit on it. Heart fine now. Figured it was covid related.

47. i havent been doctors in years my heartbeat on my apple watch is showing between 75-80 so im good

48. 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.