Apple Watch: the electrocardiogram function and irregular heartbeat detection. How do they work?
Apple has released the update to WatchOS 5.2, and this will allow us to use the ECG function, to perform an electrocardiographic examination directly from the wrist. Here’s how it works.
Apple officially releases the WatchOS 5.2 update and does so also in Italy, allowing users to be able to use the ECG feature, ie electrocardiogram measurement, which the Apple Watch Series 4 owns by default but has not been made available so far.
A really useful function for those who have heart problems, which clearly will never replace a professional electrocardiogram, but which certainly can signal the first signs of something anomalous.
Apple Watch 4: ECG function
As stated by Apple itself, the update to the new WatchOS 5.2 allows:
- The ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 is now available in Hong Kong and some parts of Europe.
- Notifications of irregular heart rhythm are now available in Hong Kong and some parts of Europe.
- Support for second generation AirPods has been added.
Here it will be usable now in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Ireland, US Virgin Islands, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Portugal, United Kingdom, Romania, Spain, States United States, Sweden, Switzerland and Hungary.
The Apple Watch Series 4 allows you to perform an electrocardiographic examination directly from the wrist with the ECG app. Operation is easy to understand as the watch uses the electrodes integrated in the Digital Crown and the electric heart-rate monitor positioned in the rear of the glass.
In this case, users need to touch the Digital Crown and after 30 seconds, they receive a heart rate assessment. The app communicates if the heartbeat is normal or if there are signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a serious heart condition in some situations. All recordings are automatically stored in the Health app in PDF format, so they can be shared with doctors at any time.
On a technical level, we can say that the Apple Watch Series 4 allows to detect a single derivation, the so-called D1, which is sufficient to interpret the rhythm and above all to understand if there is an atrial fibrillation in progress or not.
Clearly, it is not possible to carry out a real 12-lead electrocardiogram with the watch, but it is certainly possible to have an alarm bell in case of the anomaly to be analyzed later with the use of more sophisticated medical equipment.
Apple Watch series 4: How to upgrade to watchOS 5.2
To perform the update, you can do this by updating via the iPhone. It must be ensured that the Apple Watch is placed on the charger and has at least 50% charge so you will need to connect the iPhone to the Wi-Fi network, keep the smartphone near the Apple Watch to make sure they are within range of coverage.
Simply open the Watch app, tap the Apple Watch panel, go to General and then Software update. The update is downloaded, and the smartwatch is automatically updated in several minutes.
- GPS + Cellular
- Over 30% larger display
- Electrical and optical heart sensors
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