Apple Watch detects irregular heartbeats in US study

The Apple study, conducted by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, tested the Apple Watch's heart rate sensor and algorithm in more than 400,000 participants who used an app to sign up for the eight-month trial. — Reuters

CHICAGO: Apple Inc's Heart study, the largest yet to explore the role of wearable devices in identifying potential heart problems, found the device could accurately detect atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat, US researchers reported on Nov 13.

The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), come as technology companies increasingly strike up partnerships with drugmakers as a way to gather large amounts of real-time health data on individuals.