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The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

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Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#21

Post by brandonb »

arikr wrote: post #15
brandonb wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good question—this clinical validation study is a first, necessary step to prove that this technology is accurate enough to be used in a real-world setting, but the research study alone is a milestone rather than the end goal. We're now working on implementing care pathways within the Cardiogram app. If all goes well, you should hear something from us in the next few months. (In general, a digital health startup requ…

Okay. Any way for me to get updates on when it's available for use?

It'll appear directly in the Cardiogram app. (Would you personally find it helpful to have another mechanism, like a mailing list?)

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#22

Post by ForFreedom »

brandonb wrote: post #3

I'm one of the co-founders of Cardiogram and involved in this study -- happy to answer questions if folks have them! (EDIT: heading to bed, but will answer questions in the morning!)

What do you do with the data collected via your app?

Whats the end result of your research?

Did the 70% people you collected data are aware?

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#23

Post by brandonb »

Blazespinnaker wrote: post #20
edejong wrote: post #18

97% accuracy seems high, but with an approximate sales number of 10 million Apple watches, it will give 300 thousand users an incorrect diagnosis.

Give 1000 people apple watches with the app versus 1000 people other smart watches without the capability. At the end of the year, find out how well diagnosed the two groups are.

Yep—this is a good sketch of a randomized control trial to measure the primary outcome, change in diagnosis rate.

Secondary outcomes you might look at are overall change in medical spend, e.g., is this intervention cost-saving, or at least cost-effective? And change in treatment, which may be independent of diagnosis rate.

The tweak I'd make is that you don't need to give out Apple Watches, Garmins, Fitbits, or Android Wear watches. People are buying these devices on their own already. Given ubiquity of hardware, continuous screening may be achievable at close to zero marginal cost.

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#24

Post by brandonb »

clort wrote: post #16
justinjlynn wrote: post #11

Danger, danger: heavily regulated waters ahead! Remember these words well: "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."

“And then you’d guide them through the appropriate final diagnosis, which would be through a blood pressure cuff and then treatment.” so the intention is that this would generate a warning to go to your doctor?

It's a little more nuanced—the exact next step depends on the health condition, co-morbidities, previous tests you've taken, which interventions are covered by your insurance, etc.

Think this diagram of how Slack decides to send a notification, but for health: https://twitter.com/codevisuals/status/838881724016787457?la...

:)

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#25

Post by extrapickles »

edejong wrote: post #18

97% accuracy seems high, but with an approximate sales number of 10 million Apple watches, it will give 300 thousand users an incorrect diagnosis.

It would help as its more of a “you should see a doctor” test rather than a official diagnosis.

I’m fine with it providing the marketing does not mislead people into thinking it’s foolproof. Basically, they need to say it can only detect obvious cases, and minor/rare cases are missed.

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#26

Post by ekianjo »

outworlder wrote: post #19
edejong wrote: post #18

97% accuracy seems high, but with an approximate sales number of 10 million Apple watches, it will give 300 thousand users an incorrect diagnosis.

Which is not so bad. They can follow up and figure it out. Some people will go for decades before getting a proper diagnostic - or even die before they get one.

> Which is not so bad. They can follow up and figure it out.

Following up is not free. So that's cost incurred for the ones who have no problem in the first place.

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#27

Post by demomode »

As someone with diagnosed apnea I have so many doubts about this.

Machines to diagnose apnea have lots of sensors including electrodes, "chest-band" pulsometers, and "saturationmeters". I have asked doctors about capabilities of smart devices for apnea control or detection, all I got was laughs.

Sorry but I think this is not true. Go and see your doctor.

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#28

Post by fleetingmoments »

brandonb wrote: post #3

I'm one of the co-founders of Cardiogram and involved in this study -- happy to answer questions if folks have them! (EDIT: heading to bed, but will answer questions in the morning!)

What input signals do you have access to through the Apple Watch? Is it only Heart Rate output or do you get the actual interbeat intervals? Any chance of getting to the raw ADC output of the photodiode?

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#29

Post by azernik »

demomode wrote: post #27

As someone with diagnosed apnea I have so many doubts about this. Machines to diagnose apnea have lots of sensors including electrodes, "chest-band" pulsometers, and "saturationmeters". I have asked doctors about capabilities of smart devices for apnea control or detection, all I got was laughs. Sorry but I think this is not true. Go and see your doctor.

They say "90% accuracy" for apnea - definitely not high enough for a diagnosis. The study's lead investigator is talking about this as a screening test, not as a firm diagnostic.

And given the involvement of UCSF in the study, I'd take this pretty seriously - just make sure to pay attention to the claims the study is actually making, and not the science-journalism hype.

Re: The Apple Watch can detect hypertension and sleep apnea, a new study suggests

#30

Post by aequitas »

ekianjo wrote: post #26
outworlder wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which is not so bad. They can follow up and figure it out. Some people will go for decades before getting a proper diagnostic - or even die before they get one.

> Which is not so bad. They can follow up and figure it out. Following up is not free. So that's cost incurred for the ones who have no problem in the first place.

Think about the cost of not following up. Personal health, productivity, life quality.

Also here in the Netherlands we have healthcare. I'd rather see these emerging devices offer good warnings to go see a doctor then people not going at all or going to often for every little thing that they feel and googled on the internet because they are to unsure.

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