Can the Apple Watch and an app on your iPhone reduce the likelihood you’ll have a stroke?
Apple and Johnson & Johnson have launched a voluntary randomized nationwide study to explore that question. The study is meant to determine whether the iPhone and Apple Watch can accelerate the diagnosis of a leading cause of stroke.
That would be atrial fibrillation, or AFib, an irregular and often rapid heart rate that causes about 130,000 deaths and 750,000 hospitalizations each year in the U.S., Johnson & Johnson said.
Up to 30% of cases go undiagnosed until life-threatening complications occur. Worldwide, about 33 million people have the condition. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AFib, the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, results in 158,000 deaths and 454,000 hospitalizations each year.
The Apple Watch Series 5, which costs $399 or more, as well as the Series 4 have an irregular heart rhythm notification feature and an FDA-cleared ECG app, both of which are designed to detect AFib.
As part of the study, some participants can get the Series 5 for as little as $49 plus tax, or even borrow it for free for the duration of the study, after which you are supposed to return it.
And some study participants can earn $150 or more, based on a points system tied to the activities you are asked to complete, such as answering surveys or meeting other goals.
The study is open to U.S. adults aged 65 and older. In addition to meeting the age requirements, you will need an iPhone 6s or later (running iOS 12.2 or later), plus traditional Medicare.
USA Today
