Uploaded October 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Will the Apple Watch save lives? I’m an academic cardiologist & this is an in-depth, unbiased look at the science & implications of the exciting new ECG heart monitor function.
I’m a tech fan, an advocate for people to take an interest in their health, and a practicing heart doctor, so this is big news for me. But amongst all the glowing media coverage, I wanted to explain the considerable implications of something like this.
I analyse the science, the statistics, the medicine and what it may mean for you, if you buy an Apple Watch. Edit: And yes, I know it's not called an iWatch, tbh I shot this in a hurry at work and didn't even realise I had said iWatch until later. I mostly use the term to wind up my Apple fanboi buddy Simon. Judging by some of the comments, it winds up more people than just Simon.
My video on medical over-testing: youtube.com/watch?v=7kQk9-KLPfU
If anything is unclear, please ask me here or on Twitter - I do answer every question.
- Dr Rohin Francis
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More Medlife Crisis:
medlifecrisis.co.uk
twitter.com/medcrisis
facebook.com/Medlifecrisis
instagram.com/medcrisis
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Venk Murthy’s Apple Watch Tweetorial: twitter.com/venkmurthy/status/1042110544457674753
John Mandrola’s Apple Watch article: medium.com/s/story/im-a-heart-doctor-heres-why-im-wary-of-the-new-apple-watch-2b1999f2d942
Julian Halcox’s Alivecor (REHEARSE-AF) study: ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.030583?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed
Joy Victory’s Apple Watch article: healthnewsreview.org/2018/09/what-did-journalists-overlook-about-the-apple-watch-heart-monitor-feature
May 2018 JAMA Cardiology Smart Watch study: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2675364?redirect=true
Apple Heart (Stanford) study: https://med.stanford.edu/appleheartstudy/faq.html
Music:
Tango de Manzana by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licence, downloaded from incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?collection=15
Will the Apple Watch save lives? I’m an academic cardiologist & this is an in-depth, unbiased look at the science & implications of the exciting new ECG heart monitor function.
I’m a tech fan, an advocate for people to take an interest in their health, and a practicing heart doctor, so this is big news for me. But amongst all the glowing media coverage, I wanted to explain the considerable implications of something like this.
I analyse the science, the statistics, the medicine and what it may mean for you, if you buy an Apple Watch. Edit: And yes, I know it's not called an iWatch, tbh I shot this in a hurry at work and didn't even realise I had said iWatch until later. I mostly use the term to wind up my Apple fanboi buddy Simon. Judging by some of the comments, it winds up more people than just Simon.
My video on medical over-testing: youtube.com/watch?v=7kQk9-KLPfU
If anything is unclear, please ask me here or on Twitter - I do answer every question.
- Dr Rohin Francis
------------
More Medlife Crisis:
medlifecrisis.co.uk
twitter.com/medcrisis
facebook.com/Medlifecrisis
instagram.com/medcrisis
------------
Venk Murthy’s Apple Watch Tweetorial: twitter.com/venkmurthy/status/1042110544457674753
John Mandrola’s Apple Watch article: medium.com/s/story/im-a-heart-doctor-heres-why-im-wary-of-the-new-apple-watch-2b1999f2d942
Julian Halcox’s Alivecor (REHEARSE-AF) study: ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.030583?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed
Joy Victory’s Apple Watch article: healthnewsreview.org/2018/09/what-did-journalists-overlook-about-the-apple-watch-heart-monitor-feature
May 2018 JAMA Cardiology Smart Watch study: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2675364?redirect=true
Apple Heart (Stanford) study: https://med.stanford.edu/appleheartstudy/faq.html
Music:
Tango de Manzana by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licence, downloaded from incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?collection=15










