-
A man was alerted by his Apple Watch that he was suffering from a heart condition: atrial fibrillation.
-
The main symptom of atrial fibrillation is a shaky heartbeat.
-
At least 2.7 million Americans have this heart condition.
A man went to bed after feeling dizzy and woke up the next day to alerts from his Apple Watch that he had a heart condition, BBC News reported.
Adam Croft, 36, from the UK, noticed last month that his Apple Watch alerted him all night that his heart was in atrial fibrillation – a type of arrhythmia that causes shaky or irregular heartbeats.
Croft told BBC News he called 111, the UK’s non-fatal emergency helpline, for advice, who told him to get to the emergency room within the hour.
At the hospital, he underwent two electrocardiograms, which measure the heart’s electrical activity, and doctors later confirmed he had atrial fibrillation.
Croft told Insider he shared his story to raise awareness and ensure others take their symptoms seriously.
Atrial fibrillation can cause clots, strokes and heart failure
AFib is a heart condition that affects at least 2.7 million Americans.
The main symptom of atrial fibrillation is a shaky heartbeat, but can also include fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, anxiety, weakness, fainting, and sweating.
However, many people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms and their condition is only detected during a physical exam, according to the American Heart Association.
Croft told BBC News that the night before his Apple Watch alerted him, he got up from the couch and felt dizzy. He went to fetch water and “immediately felt the world closing in”.
He found himself in a pool of cold sweat on the kitchen floor but went to bed.
Months before that, Croft said he had felt his heart “pounding” but didn’t think they were serious.
He said he wouldn’t have sought medical assistance if his Apple Watch hadn’t alerted him and assumed he had just fallen ill.
Atrial fibrillation can be serious because it leads to blood clots, strokes and heart failure in some cases, the AHA said.
According to the AHA, atrial fibrillation primarily affects older people, people with high blood pressure or heart disease, people who drink heavily, athletes, and people with other chronic conditions.
They said having a family member with AFib also increases a person’s chances of being diagnosed.
Since his diagnosis, Croft has been offered cardioversion — a procedure that restores a regular rhythm — which he told Insider he hopes to have in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, Croft has been offered blood thinners due to the risk of clots forming, which can cause a stroke.
Croft told Insider doctors also said he should minimize the stress in his life — as he’s had a few stressful years — and continue to eat a healthy diet and exercise.
He said: “It’s made me much more likely to avoid stressful situations and made me more aware of what’s going on in my body. I’m much better on the lookout for signs now.”
Read the original Insider article