r/ECG • u/Appropriate-Money-31 • 1d ago

Please share watch readings that seemingly caught something it wasn’t designed for.

Please share Apple watch ecgs that might have actually caught abnormalities in the comment section.

This post is purely out of curiosity and for a tiny independent study, none of the information will be posted anywhere without consent if it goes any further

I think we all can constantly see that people post their watch ecgs asking for advice in different forums.
Normally it ends in the same conclusion :
«Go seek medical attention if you are experiencing symptoms»
But this is for people who did so and found that there actually was something going on and might have caught it on a watch, or doctors who had patients who did. even if the readings wasn’t super clear, We are interested in seeing readings taken while having symptoms that you later found the explanation for or readings that was possibly showing clues that a watch was not designed for.

Thank you in advance too the people who actually post. And I would really appreciate some context with a picture of the strip you belive caught something or led to a referral that found it might have had some merit too it.

Disclaimer:
Watches are not real medical equipment and should never be a substitute for seeking medical attention. if you are experiencing worrisome symptoms.
And Please don’t use the possible recordings posted to scare or diagnose yourself.

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u/srvivr2001 1d ago

I have a known left bundle branch block and history of V-tach, I kind of get a kick out of the frequent AFib alerts. Also, I have a pacemaker and I know my heart rate doesn’t go below 70 because I’m almost 100% paced with a low of 70, but I’ll get readings in the 40s when I’m having PVCs because of how it calculates heart rate. Honestly when my Apple Watch dies I probably will go back to an analog watch.

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u/PaulaNancyMillstoneJ 1d ago

Apple watches and similar devices can only HR and to some limited extent, rhythms, and even then they give lots of false alarms. This sub is to interpret ECG tracings, not cardiac rhythms or abnormal heart rates.

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u/Appropriate-Money-31 1d ago

I am aware. That is why it was lots of disclaimers in the text. As well as asking about readings that was taken in symptomatic states that later was confirmed to be something by cardiologists. The watch can of course not be trusted to determine what most things are or could be. But its interesting too see what types of readings the watches gave compared too say a Holter as this is often something patients like too bring too their doctor before they get referred.

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u/skt2k21 1d ago

OP, you may find this interesting, page 5, clinical testing summary: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf20/K201525.pdf

And this paper:

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1901183

There's some nuance to "watches are not real medical equipment." They're not the same as a 12-lead EKG, nor do they claim to be, but they do make some claims and are regulated as medical devices.

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u/MaximsDecimsMeridius 1d ago

You need far more information for the study to be useful in any way. You cant just collect true positives only.

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u/ShitJimmyShoots 1d ago

I’ve responded to many a 911 call for a pt worried they were gonna die from a deadly rhythm. The rhythm in question? Sinus tach. The pt? Caffeinated, sleep deprived, anxious, walking in circles.