Apple Watch 7 saved my life: Delhi-based researcher emails CEO Tim Cook

Had the Apple Watch 7 not alerted about her condition, it could have been “a close call”. Delhi-based user thanks Apple CEO Tim Cook for including a precise heart rate monitor in Apple Watch models.

Delhi-based policy researcher Sneha Sinha talks to HT Tech about how the Apple Watch 7 saved her life with the heart rate notification feature. (Debashis Sarkar)

Delhi-based policy researcher Sneha Sinha thanked the Apple Watch 7 for “saving her life” after the heart rate notification feature on the device alerted her of abnormally high heart rate of over 250 beats per minute. In an interaction with HT Tech, Sneha narrated that she had no pre-existing health conditions and considered herself fit.

Of late, in India, a lot of incidents of otherwise healthy and fit young individuals suffering sudden heart ailments are making headlines and this is why Sneha felt it's important to narrate her story. Had the Apple Watch 7 not alerted about her condition, it could have been “a close call”.

“That night, my heart rate had spiked to over 250. Fortunately, my Apple Watch alerted me in time, allowing me to monitor my heart condition continuously until I was rushed to the emergency room,” said Sneha.

“If my Apple Watch hadn't alerted me…”

She got the Apple Watch 7 as a gift- “I felt it was trendy. Little did I know that it would turn out to be the guardian angel on my wrist, ultimately saving my life.”

“If my Apple Watch hadn't alerted me about the high heart rate and urged me to see the doctor, I might have waited until morning to seek medical help. I wouldn't have made the effort to go to the hospital in the middle of the night. The doctors diagnosed me with a type of tachycardia, usually triggered by stress and anxiety,” she explained.

Sneha's prompt decision to head to the hospital quickly after seeing the high heart rate notification actually made all the difference. “The doctors in the ER informed my parents and friends that it was a close call,” she added.

Talking about her health, she said, “I don't have any pre-existing health conditions. As an avid traveller, I hike and trek in high-altitude mountain regions above 15,000-16,000 feet where oxygen levels are often low.”

“Once I got back home after a usual day, I noticed heart palpitations and used my Apple Watch to monitor it. Despite repeated checks and ECGs showing a higher heart rate, I tried deep breathing, hoping it would resolve in sometime. I thought it may have occurred due to some reason and should calm down soon. I did not take it seriously initially. When it persisted for over 1.5 hours, the ECG indicated the onset of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib). At that point, I decided to seek medical attention and called a friend to take me to the hospital,” she added.

“I found the email address of CEO Tim Cook on the internet to thank Apple”

After the entire episode, Sneha decided to contact Apple CEO Tim Cook and the Apple Watch team. “I wanted to express my deep gratitude for developing such precise and advanced heart monitoring features. The Apple Watch has demonstrated how innovation and technology can revolutionise healthcare and save lives… I found his email address on the internet,” she said.

“After I shared my story with Tim, within just a few hours he wrote back saying– I'm so glad you sought medical attention and received the treatment you needed. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us,” she expressed with joy while sharing a screenshot of the email with HT Tech.