Apple Heart Study launches to identify irregular heart rhythms

Apple has launched the Apple Heart Study app. An app which collects data on irregular heart rhythms using Apple Watch's heart sensor rate and notifies the user who may be experiencing atrial fibrillation(AFib).

AFib, the leading cause of stroke, is responsible for approximately 130,000 deaths and 750,000 hospitalizations in the US every year. Many people don’t experience symptoms, so AFib often goes undiagnosed. 

To calculate heart rate and rhythm on Apple Watch’s sensor, green LED lights flashes hundreds of times per second and light-sensitive photodiodes detect the amount of blood flowing through the wrist. The sensor’s unique optical design gathers signals from four distinct points on the wrist, and when combined with powerful software algorithms, Apple Watch isolates heart rhythms from other noise. 

Apple is partnering with Stanford Medicine to perform the research. As part of the study, if an irregular heart rhythm is identified, participants will receive a notification on their Apple Watch and iPhone, a free consultation with a study doctor and an electrocardiogram (ECG) patch for additional monitoring. The Apple Heart Study app is available in the US App Store to customers who are 22 years or older and have an Apple Watch Series 1 or later.