Apple Watch: Five key heart health tracking features you should know

Over the years, Apple Watches have saved thousands of lives around the world with the timely notification to owners to get quick medical aid.

Within a short time of its conception, Apple Watches have dethroned Swiss watch brands as the numero uno brand globally. The USP of the Apple’s smart wearables is that they come with most advanced health tracking features, particularly the heart.

Over the years, Apple Watches have saved thousands of lives around the world with timely notification to owners to get quick medical aid. 

As we mark World Heart Day (September 29), here are key heart health tracking features of the latest Apple Watches that you should know. 

High and low heart rate notifications 

Whenever the user’s heart rate goes below 40 beats per minute (bpm) or higher than 140 bpm during resting, the ultra-sensitive optical heart rate sensors on Apple Watches automatically notifies that there is low or high heart rate and should see medical help as soon as possible. 

Users can turn on heart rate notification:

Step 1: On the iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.

Step 2: Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Heart.

Step 3: Tap High Heart Rate, then choose a BPM. 

Step 4: Tap Low Heart Rate, then choose a BPM.

Irregular rhythm notifications

This feature on the Apple Watch will occasionally look at your heartbeat to check for an irregular rhythm that may be AFib (Atrial Fibrillation).

AFib hardly shows any symptoms at all and is often called as silent killer. If not detected and diagnosed early, it can lead to several heart-related complications such as blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and some instances death too.

Millions of people around the world suffer strokes and thousands die every year before they could know the reason.

Must read | Apple Watch’s ECG feature saves Haryana-resident’s life with AFib alert

ECG app

The ECG app makes use of Apple Watch’s the electrical heart sensor built into the Digital Crown and the back crystal to record a single-lead ECG. 

The ECG app then offers a result of sinus rhythm, atrial fibrillation, atrial fibrillation with high heart rate, inconclusive, or poor recording. It also prompts the user to enter any symptoms such as rapid or pounding heartbeat, dizziness, or fatigue. 

The recorded waveform, results, date, time, and any symptoms are recorded and can be exported from the Health app as a PDF to share with a clinician. 

Here’s how to take ECG app on Apple Watch:

1. Make sure that your Apple Watch is snug and on the wrist that you selected in the Apple Watch app. To check, open the Apple Watch app, tap the My Watch tab, then go to General > Watch Orientation.

2. Then, open the ECG app on your Apple Watch.

3. Rest the arms on a table or in the lap. 

4. With the hand opposite your watch, hold your finger on the Digital Crown. User don't need to press the Digital Crown during the session. 

5. Then Wait, as the recording takes 30 seconds. At the end of the recording, user will receive a classification, then he/she can tap Add Symptoms and choose the symptoms.

6. Tap Save to note any symptoms, then tap Done.

AFib History

AFib History feature provides deep insights including a weekly estimate of the amount of time the heart showed any sign of AFib, also known as AFib burden. 

AFib History also helps manage the life factors that can impact the percentage of users' hearts in AFib by logging details such as (1)Exercise Minutes, (2) Sleep, (3) Weight, (4) Alcohol Consumption, and (5) Mindful minutes.

Here’s how to set up AFib history:

Step 1: On iPhone, open the Health app.

Step 2: Tap Browse, then tap Heart.

Step 3: Tap AFib History.

Step 4: Tap Set Up, then tap Get Started.

Step 5: Enter Date of Birth.

Step 6: Select Yes to indicate that you have been diagnosed with AFib by a doctor, then tap Continue.

Step 7: Tap Continue to learn more about AFib History, the results, and life factors. And, tap Done.

Once the user sets up the AFib History, the Apple Watch will track life activities( exercises, sleep, meditation). Also, the user has to upload weight and alcohol consumption and after taking in all data, it will begin to deliver weekly reports on Mondays.

Users can track this long-term and share this information with their family physician for better diagnosis and medical advice.

Here's how to check AFib History:

Step 1: On iPhone, open the Health app.

Step 2: Tap Browse, then tap Heart.

Step 3: Tap AFib History. If users have AFib History saved to Favorites, they can also access it from the Summary tab.

Also read | Apple Watch saves man's life, SpO2 sensor help detect blood clot in lungs
 

Cardio Fitness

Besides ECG, Cardio Fitness is another very important feature that will greatly help Apple Watch owner to get deeper understanding of their heart health.

It offers estimate of VO2 Max, the body's ability to intake oxygen during exercise. Research studies have shown that VO2 Max  is one of the most accurate predictor of overall health. If you happen to have low VO2 Max,  users can improve by exercising more frequently or more rigorously, and he/she can easily track along the way. 

Users can even opt in to receive a notification if their classification drops to ‘low,’ which is associated with risks of serious longterm health conditions. 

Here’s how to check you Cardio Fitness 

Step 1: Open the Health app on the iPhone, then tap Browse.

Step 2: Tap Heart, then tap Cardio Fitness.

Step 3: Tap D, W or Y to view your average for the Day, Week or Year.

Step 4:  Tap Show All Cardio Fitness Levels.

Step 5: Tap a cardio fitness level to compare your results to other levels based on your age and sex.

To estimate the cardio fitness level, Apple Watch’s algorithm needs user’s • age, sex, weight, height and medications that may affect the heart rate. Other aspects such respiration rate will be recorded by the Watch itself and finally deliver VO2 Max data.

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