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One 36-year-old man's Apple Watch might just have saved his life, as it alerted him to the potential of hypertension – referred to by many as a 'silent killer' – through dangerous symptoms that he otherwise could have completely missed.
Sharing his story in a now-viral Reddit post on r/AppleWatch, u/RevanOn3r revealed how his Apple Watch identified patterns in his health associated with hypertension that led him to seek out medical intervention.
There might be better wearable devices out there than the Apple Watch, offering greater health tracking and analytics, but this genuinely life-saving story shows that you don't necessarily need the best in order to benefit from vital features.
The notification, which appeared through the Apple Health app automatically, details how the gadget spotted 'dangerous' symptoms associated with his heart rate within the last 30 days, advising him to consult his doctor for further measurements.
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"After getting a notification that I was showing signs of hypertension, within 3 days of checking my blood pressure was increasingly steadily, I was 175/115," the post details.
"That is DANGEROUSLY high. I've since had medical intervention and medication to lower my blood pressure and avoid worst case scenarios. I'm only 36Y male, otherwise healthy, work out regularly, don't drink, and no one would have suspected this.
"It may run on my father's side of the family, but we're unsure. Either way, this notification saved my life."
This is far from the only time that an Apple Watch has provided life-changing health advice or warnings, and it's stories like these that remind people why it's a good idea to keep the device on at all times so that it has as much information as possible.
The poster also argues that, without their Apple Watch, they might not have known about possible hypertension 'until it was too late' — urging people to "stay healthy and safe," alongside getting regular check-ups with their GP.
Their doctor also appeared to echo this sentiment, indicating that, in their own words, "severe sudden onset [hypertension] for your age is highly concerning, and your watch probably saved your life."
One thing to note is that Apple Watches aren't actually capable of measuring your blood pressure — hence why the Health app advises you to seek out further measurements and medical advice alongside clarifying the diagnosis with 'possible'.
Instead, it uses plethysmography to analyse changes in the volume and dilation of your blood vessels, using that to predict conclusions that you might get from a blood pressure reading.
