Q. What do normal and abnormal heart rhythms look like on Apple Watch?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Normal heart rhythms on the Apple Watch are tracked using an optical heart rate sensor that detects your pulse. This data is then displayed in various forms such as a graph, which shows your heart rate over time, or periodic notifications from the Activity app indicating whether your current resting heart rate falls within a normal range.
Abnormal heart rhythms can also be detected on the Apple Watch and include conditions like atrial fibrillation (AFib), Flutter, tachycardia, and bradycardia. AFib is an irregular heartbeat characterized by rapid contractions of the atria due to chaotic electrical signals in the cardiac muscle tissue. It can lead to stroke and other serious medical conditions if left untreated. The Apple Watch uses algorithms to detect signs of potential AFib episodes through its ECG feature which records two lead ECGs at once and looks for any abnormalities in waveform shape or duration compared to standard waveforms associated with a healthy beat pattern. If AFib is detected, users receive an alert prompting them to seek immediate medical attention together with advice on what measures they should take next depending on their location.
The watch also has fall detection features which further add layers of safety against uncaught abnormal rhythm issues occurring while active such as increased physical exertion or dehydration leading up to arrhythmia-induced dizziness or loss of consciousness (LOC). These features will detect unexpected movements after falling and provide options regarding emergency contacts who could be alerted via text message containing information about how long ago you fell as well as current GPS coordinates if you require additional assistance beyond basic emergency services available online with just one tap from directly within the app itself!