Apple Watch

[JCDBARBRIDGE]

hi folks, is anyone using an Apple Watch to check heart rate and if so which model. I am considering Apple Watch 10 , I understand no watch offers BP monitoring thanks in advance

[Stentsandrun]

If you wish to monitor your HR you don't need an expensive "smart" watch. You can get an inexpensive chest strap and watch combination which will be more accurate than the most expensive wrist mounted devices. The best way to check your BP is with, again, an inexpensive arm cuff device, Omron for example.

[Asteroids in reply to Stentsandrun]

I used to use a chest strap when exercising. I’ve tried several. I found they wouldn’t work until you’ve built up quite a sweat. If you’re a fit athlete (which I doubt many are on this forum!) then fine. Otherwise a smart watch is in my opinion, much better and obviously more convenient.

Personally I use the Apple Watch (version 7 a the moment) since it gives me loads of other functionality. I checked the heart rate accuracy against an ECG monitor during a stress test and it was bang on accurate over all heart rates during the test.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Asteroids]

Thank you, I am looking for something I wear more or less 24*7 , least hassle as possible, chest strap unlikely to suit my lifestyle , a watch or similar does, appreciate your thoughts

[Asteroids in reply to JCDBARBRIDGE]

If you have an iPhone then the Apple Watch is superb. I would imagine a Fitbit or another alternative is excellent too, but I’ve no experience of them. The only problem with an Apple Watch is the battery life. I’ve an old one I switch to while the naun one is recharging.

[Rosie1066]

yes, I have used an Apple Watch gir a few years now. They not only take your heart rate but they also will take an ECG for you. They can even contact the emergency services if you have a hard fall plus they do much, much more too.

[Boharford in reply to Rosie1066]

I have Apple Watch it doesn’t do an ECG if your heart rate is below 50

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Boharford]

Ah did not know that thank you

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Rosie1066]

Thank you for your valuable comments

[Specialdog]

I’ve used an Apple 9. Seems like work ok with rate and taking an ECG.

[Blackknight57]

I have a series 2. It doesn’t do ecgs

[Blackknight57]

frankly taking you heart bpm is fairly simple if your bp is around normal. No expensive electronic stuff.

[mjames1]

I love the ultra 2 for its big screen and other features. It's also practically indestructible and don't ask me how I know! It does all the basic watch functions, including EKG but none of the Apple watches do your blood pressure and as far as I know, there are no really good blood pressure watches, and the ones that make claims are not very accurate.

Jim

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to mjames1]

Thanks, not sure Apple Watches per se do BP, I’ve seen app as that suggest they do but agree my research shows they are not that reliable

[Rosie1066 in reply to JCDBARBRIDGE]

Far better to buy a good blood pressure machine that will give you your heart rate and will also pick up AFib. I use both Apple Watch and a separate BP machine.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Rosie1066]

Tbh I do have a BP at home, the mobile device is something I can wear when out and about, thanks for your comments, appreciated

[mjames1 in reply to JCDBARBRIDGE]

Apple Watch is do not do blood pressure

[ASD46]

Morning. Mine is a series 6. Seems to work well. My other half but a newer version (the SE) but that doesn’t do ECGs so worth double checking the features you want.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to ASD46]

Thank you much appreciated

[T666]

hi. I had a 7 and recently upgraded to 10. They are absolutely superb devices in so many respects

People will always poo poo the usage but mine gave me important warnings of heart and oxygen stats

Ultimately you can do a lot with a plethora of individual ’gadgets’ but the watch does it all in one

Whilst in hospital I cross checked my watch results with hospital equipment including nurses and the accuracy was spot on

Also in one admittance to hospital the consultant had my phone with all the synchronised data from my watch and said this is extremely useful information and helps me a lot

Equally another medical professional said would it help if we took your watch off you….. Troglodytes everywhere will negate technology I can only speak from experience.. not forgetting it will call emergency services if you have a fall but I’ll always ask you first

[Rosie1066 in reply to T666]

When I was in hospital last year I asked the cardiologist about the Apple Watch and he said they had found them very accurate and would take notice of the info which was coming from mine seriously.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to T666]

Thank you for your comments, interesting to hear about your comparison and reassuring results

[Dave678]

I use the Apple Watch 8 for monitoring my health which gives good reasonably accurate Pulse readings, monitors my health & will do ECGs etc. I also have an old, scratched Apple Watch 4 which I use when in bed at night and the 8 is recharging - that has the same features. Bear in mind you can’t just look at them both and get an instant Pulse reading as you have to press a button first and wait while they calculate one - unless you’re in an exercise mode. As for watches that give BP - I’ve heard of them and seen ones with straps like arm BP monitors have but not sure as to their accuracy? You’d probably be better off such as an Omron BP wrist monitor etc. Good luck with your choice.

[T666 in reply to Dave678]

You can press the heart symbol, on the screen on mine so quite convenient. That said the watch does monitor the heartbeat constantly on mine and synchronises the record to my phone

[Dave678 in reply to T666]

Agree T666 and you can on mine but I was just saying you can’t look at the watch and get an instant pulse reading (unless in an exercise mode) without pressing the symbol on the screen as you say….which can then take up to 20 seconds (sometimes longer) to give you a reading. For that reason, I also have a Huawei GT3 Pro, Garmin Venu 3 & Fitbit Charge 6 which all have an always on Pulse reading and are just as accurate with varying degrees of health monitoring.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Dave678]

Thanks for your comments, I am still on the fence but steering towards Apple mainly as I have an iPhone and iPad , latter I use daily

[Dave678 in reply to JCDBARBRIDGE]

Good luck + being all Apple does have its advantages! Although, the Fitbit and Huawei health apps for the iPhone are very good as well

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Dave678]

Cheers

[HenryTudor]

Yes, I recommend the AW 10, especially if you monitor the “vitals” overnight. In an absolute sense it’s not expensive.

Samsung make a smartwatch that takes your BP - my nephew has one. But you have to calibrate it regularly by taking your BP with a proper (upper arm) monitor. It may be weekly, so what’s the point.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to HenryTudor]

Thank you for your comments, I am likely to go with Apple assuming I make the “jump”, I use a couple of their gear already so makes sense to continue with Apple

[TedSpaniel]

I have recently upgraded to a series 10. My first Apple Watch actually detected AFib. The doctor actually said how accurate and useful they were in diagnosing. Recently my hearts been pretty good with just the odd fluttering, clearly the meds are working. However, I haven’t been sleeping well, waking up tired and feeling pretty crap and it says I have elevated disturbances which could be sleep apnea. So useful but can add to anxiety levels.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to TedSpaniel]

Wow hope you are feeling better, anxiety can be quite debilitating. For me I found a course of mindfulness helpful. Thanks for your comments on the Apple Watch too

[JezzaJezza]

Hi yes I use Apple Watch Series 8 and it is brilliant. Not only does it track HR but also does ecg, blood oxygen and a wealth of other information such as VO2 Max and heart rate variability. Don’t pay any heed to those who say “it’s not accurate”, it’s accurate to within 1 bpm when checked against a chest strap heart monitor. Apple spend billions on research and development - a damn sight more than the NHS!

The trick is to wear the watch continuously and also overnight, I charge mine for 1 hour first thing in the morning. The amount of data gathered when you wear continuously and especially overnight is WILD. There are numerous studies that demonstrate the accuracy of the Apple Watch - certainly my GP and cardiologist are huge fans of the data I can show them.

Personally I think it is worth paying for some additional apps that use the watch data to give deeper insights. I use Qaly which analyses the ecg’s, Welltory which analyses heart health and Calm which I use for meditation.

As others have said for blood pressure use a home device which you can buy from a pharmacist I read mine weekly and rest for 10 mins, take 3 readings and 3 minutes in between each reading if similar take the average, if quite different take the lowest, The more you regularly measure, the less reaction from your body to the noise and the sudden tightness of the cuff.

Wearables and AI is the future of healthcare

Best wishes

Jezza

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to JezzaJezza]

Thank you for taking so much time in providing such a super good response. Yep technology is the way forward AI will create a paradigm shift within healthcare which I see as a positive

[David-66]

I have an Apple Watch 5, been using it years and it provides accurate heart rate monitoring and the ability to record an ecg trace.

My understanding is that the watch SE does similar but if you want additional monitoring such as temperature and blood oxygen % then the watch 10 is for you. None of the products do BP, but all off r you the ability to add BP data manually and also many other statistics like medication, weight, etc.

All watches offer a good way to record your steps and exercises.

I guess it’s all down to what you want to track and your budget.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to David-66]

Thank you for you detailed response. I am moving towards an Apple Watch. The health benefits as you and others have mentioned are good and reliable and will only improve.

[Flyinghaggis]

Hi , I have a series 9.

Good at measuring heart rate and can do an ECG, also measured oxygen levels in blood.

Was very handy when I had my heart attack, wouldn’t register the ECG as my heart rate was too high.But it did record the high heart rate and stored so I could show the doctor.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Flyinghaggis]

Thank you for taking time to response and sharing your experience, much appreciated

[Anothernewbie]

i am using an Apple Watch series 9. It only checks heart rate, not BP. The heart checks, among others are resting, variability, and high/low notifications. It will take a single lead ECG. I took one on the watch and a Kardia and they were identical. The records are kept until you delete them. A completely unrelated reason I have the watch is because I can control my hearing aids from an app on it.

I do not know how the 10 compares, but am happy with the 9.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Anothernewbie]

thank you for you response m had no idea re the hearing app and capability. It’s now more when I go for a watch which is largely down to the feedback from yourself and others, prefer not to complicate my life unnecessarily so likely to go APPLE

[Zorby]

I have a watch 9 which is pretty good for pulse and basic ECG. But wear an AKTTIA blood pressure band on my other wrist. This is good, but does require recalibration against the supplied blood pressure band monthly to remain accuracy. I like it 🙂

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Zorby]

That you for your comments, much appreciated

[Faf1]

I use an Apple Watch Series 8. Its notified me of 2 low heart rates. First time I was having heart attack which was confirmed at hospital. Second time the other day. Went to doctors and she reduced Bisoprolol to lowest dose. Whilst in hospital I checked with their monitors and my watch was the same.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Faf1]

that is reassuring to hear how the Watch helped you and reassuring to see how the health team responded, many thanks

[LylaR]

I have a series 9, measures heart rate , oxygen, basic ecg , sleep pattern , excersize and does alot more. It even called emergency services when I had a fall which gave me the option to cancel the call which I did.

I bought it second hand which worked out a lot cheaper with two year guarantee. I wouldn't be without it.

I can measure bp with home monitor which is more accurate.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to LylaR]

Thank you for you taking time to respond much appreciated

[GoodTea]

My GP regards my Apple Watch series 9 readings as perfectly acceptable for monitoring my heart rate. The Apple Watch series 10, uses the same technology regarding heart rate as the series 9 but has some other improvements that are useful if you want to check heart rate while exercising - the 10 is thinner and lighter.

The 9 is very comfortable to wear so I've no reason to trade up for a 10 despite the 10 being thinner/lighter.

My main reason for getting the watch was so I could monitor my heart while running. At the time, it was just a few months after open heart surgery so I wasn't keen on wearing a monitor which required chest straps. Aside from having wounds on my chest that had only recently healed, I prefer not to have a harness around my chest while running.

The watch proved great for measuring heart rate while exercising. In addition, as indicated by other posters, it has a whole range of useful features. For me, its ability to measure resting heart rate (RHR) with a degree of accuracy that is acceptable for clinical purposes proved extremely useful. I had some unpleasant side effects which were probably connected to my blood pressure (BP) meds. My cardiologist said I could trial not taking one of them (Bisoprolol) as long as my RHR readings did not rise dangerously. It was handy having the Apple readings confirming those from my BP cuff monitor especially as the watch would give me weekly averages.

If you would like to see research on the accuracy of Apple watches with (1) cardio-vascular patients, (2) resting heart rate and (3) heart rate during different activity levels, take a look at my response to another post earlier this week. Spoiler alert - there are some uses where measurementss were not found accurate enough for clinical purposes: heart rate variability + energy expenditure (calory burn):

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to GoodTea]

Thank you so so much for your detailed response and sharing your experience. It is very useful and helpful. I wish you well

[Maxbar]

just to add I have an huewei band 8 which costs around £40 checked it against cardio rehab teams equipment and readings where within 1 - 2% so don't see the need to to give all that money to apple. heart rate and oxygen levels both as accurate 👍👍

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Maxbar]

Thanks for your comments , H make great products including their o lie phones just a shame the UK government is not a fan of the company (previous government).,

[bikerider00]

I use a Garmin watch rather than Apple. I also have a chest strap (Polar 10). Watches are pretty good for HR, but are not entirely fool proof: I believe that Apple watches like Garmin and probably all watches use optical sensors for HR measurement. In general that is pretty good but not reliable under all conditions (i know that sweat / moisture can thrown them). Which is why chest strap devices are more reliable / accurate, but primarily at the extremes of either conditions or HR. The watches are great for 24hr monitoring, but if I am for example going to be at the gym or on the bike then I put the chest strap on.

Note that nearly all of these devices are compatible with each through common standards. So my Garmin watch can connect to and display the HR as measured by my Polar chest strap. I might be a little suspicious as to whether Apple is quite so open though.

Big benefit of my Garmin (Venu) is battery life in normal function, which is about 10 days.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to bikerider00]

Thank you for your response, think you are right re Apple and their reluctance to play nice with others. I use Apple phone and iPad therefore assuming I take the plunge for a watch it’s probably an Apple, thanks again

[Pinksock2]

When I did my rehab exercise course at hospital they advised against using them, as they said it could add to anxiety around heart rate. They said you know when you feel healthy and when you don’t, but did add it was down to personal preference, but not to use them if you are anxious. Personally I haven’t bothered. I know I had heart flutters before my heart attack ( I didn’t know I should be concerned) and I know I haven’t had any since my stent because I haven’t felt any.

[JCDBARBRIDGE in reply to Pinksock2]

Interesting perspective from your health team and you can understand their perspective equally for some not knowing is equally stressful. All that matters is doing what is right for you, thanks again and stay well

[TedSpaniel in reply to Pinksock2]

It’s a catch 22. When my issues started I thought at times I was going mad. The extra beats I was getting were quite scary. But, when you get to see them on the screen it gives some reassurance, I know that sounds crazy.

After showing the GP the print outs I had a load of tests and they found nothing. That was so frustrating, Feeling something wasn’t right and them not finding it. But that one morning when I went in to a fib again was scary but it confirmed what I felt. Now if I feel extra beats I can record them, the weirdest thing is I feel an extra beat a split second before it registers on the watch.

After all the tests `I did also have a mini stroke which so it’s not been great but there you go.

I must admit that I did get to a point where I did have to stop myself using the ECG on the watch. It has all raised my anxiety, sertraline has helped to a degree as well as a change of role at work. I still get anxious and tired at times, but I am coming to accept that. Biggest hit to anxiety was when they told my wife that the day the A Fib hit if she hadn’t got me in I could also have had a heart attack as I was heading that way.