Although Apple was forced to stop selling the latest Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US due to a legal battle, stories about the company’s smartwatch saving lives won’t stop.
The most recent one was posted on Reddit a few hours ago. A man credits his Apple Watch for saving his life as he took an ECG after feeling like he was blacking out while driving.
According to this Reddit user, by recording an ECG when he was feeling bad, his doctors were able to stabilize him after he went back to his usual rhythm. Here’s the full story:
As I lay here in my hospital bed with my new pacemaker/defibrillator ICD implanted in my chest, I’m feeling pretty grateful. Last Thursday night, while driving, I unexpectedly felt like I was blacking out, got tunnel vision, anxiety, pressure in my chest and went into ventricular tachycardia. I pulled over as my consciousness was fading, put it in park and hit the ECG icon and put my finger on the crown. I didn’t pass out but I did change seats with my wife and asked her to take me to the closest fire station. By the time the EMTs had me hooked up to their 12 lead unit, the episode had passed. I sent the tracings to my Doctor who screamed ER at me.
By me being able to record the event and actually see the shift back to my normal rhythm my doctors were able to stabilize me. I was in sustained v tach for over three minutes. None of my doctors had ever seen this.
Thankfully, this is yet another story of Apple Watch saving lives. The ECG feature has been available since the Apple Watch Series 4. Unlike the now controversial blood oxygen monitor, this sensor is FDA-approved, so when Apple says you can take an electrocardiogram in 30 seconds, you’re indeed taking it – and its information is pretty accurate.
Over the years, BGR reported several stories about the Apple Watch saving someone’s life. This wearable can warn you if your heart rates are high or low, if you had a fall, or if your car crashed, and it can even give you insights about possible heart problems, such as a stroke.
With Christmas just around the corner, we’re glad this man was not only able to find help so quickly, but the Apple Watch helped him stay with his family for another holiday season.
