A man has thanked his Apple Watch for saving his life after it alerted him to a serious heart condition.
Imani Dickson was at home when his smartwatch began sending health notifications, saying that his heart was beating erratically.
The 33-year-old said although his heartbeat felt “off”, he hoped a good night’s sleep would help.
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But the alerts kept coming through into the morning so he rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a condition that can significantly increase the risk of stroke if left untreated.
“I wasn’t sleeping much, I was stressed, and I’d eaten some late-night leftovers,” Imani, from Baltimore, Maryland, told Need To Know.
“At around 11pm, my watch sent an irregular rhythm alert, and I felt my heart beating off.
“I also had shortness of breath.
“I ran an ECG and it flagged possible atrial fibrillation.
“I hoped a night’s sleep would reset things, but the next morning the alerts and symptoms were still there.
“That’s when I decided to go to the ER immediately.
“I credit God, the watch, and the medical team.
“Together they saved my life.”
The IT systems administrator had upgraded to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in September last year.
He said: “I’ve used Apple watches for years, but I upgraded specifically for the newer health features like the ECG, irregular rhythm notifications, sleep tracking, the whole package.
“Those tools were a major reason I chose it.”
Medics were even able to review the data showing when Imani’s abnormal heartbeat rhythm began.
He underwent electrical cardioversion, a procedure that restores the heart to a normal beat.
Imani said: “Without that alert, I probably would’ve waited longer, and every doctor I spoke with said coming in promptly made a real difference.
“Because I wear my watch 24/7, even to track sleep, the doctors could see when it started and felt confident proceeding with electrical cardioversion to restore a normal rhythm.
“They acknowledged the watch helped catch it early and informed their care.”
Now recovering, Imani says he’s making changes to his lifestyle to support his heart health.
He added: “I’m doubling down on sleep, recovery and stress management.
“I’m not stressing over what I can’t control.
“I’m continuing my weight loss journey with juicing and whole foods, steady walking and gym work.
“My goal is to heal myself and help others by sharing the journey.
“If my story nudges someone to take their health seriously, it’s worth it.
“And yes, the watch stays on my wrist all day and night.”
