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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

#61

I'm skeptical about the accuracy of applications like this running on Apple Watch. I bought the Apple Watch Series 3 precisely because of articles like this. I now routinely get messages about how I've achieved my standing goal - while lying in bed watching TV or working on my laptop. If it can't accurately tell whether you're lying down or standing, it is unimaginable to me that it could be remotely accurate in dete…

You get the message that you achieved your standing goal right after the hour in which you achieved it. So it's entirely possible that you stood at 22:10, went to bed at 22:30, and get the achievement message at 23:00.

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

#62
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hypertension presents no symptoms and left undiagnosed can lead to kidney failure. It's often referred to by doctors as 'the silent killer', and you don't need to eat like shit and be fat to have it. Going to your GP 2-3 times a year and getting your blood pressure checked (and your blood tested for the 'regular stuff') solves the problem. 'Listening to your body' pseudoscience doesn't really solve the problem.

Wouldn't you say that things like hypertension are only the result of something? What I am thinking of is this: Listen to what your body tells you when you do the things that lead to problems like hypertension.

Genetics can be a factor, so you have to get it checked.

A bloke my sister knows (she's a nurse), was diagnosed with 'hypertension not otherwise specified', at the ripe old age of 31. But they didn't catch it early because he 'felt fine'. He wasn't overweight unhealthy. But he needs new kidneys now!

It's misinformation to say otherwise. I mean, I live in Australia, where you can visit the doctor for free, so it's like, no skin off our back to go and see one once or twice a year.

EDIT: Also, I have hypertension AND sleep apnea. I am overweight. It is most likely the cause, though we do have a history of high blood pressure in the family so until I drop 20% of my weight I'm not going to know for sure. I don't disagree with that you need to look after yourself physically and be glad if you don't have any other illness that ain't your goddamn fault.

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

#63
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hypertension presents no symptoms and left undiagnosed can lead to kidney failure. It's often referred to by doctors as 'the silent killer', and you don't need to eat like shit and be fat to have it. Going to your GP 2-3 times a year and getting your blood pressure checked (and your blood tested for the 'regular stuff') solves the problem. 'Listening to your body' pseudoscience doesn't really solve the problem.

Wouldn't you say that things like hypertension are only the result of something? What I am thinking of is this: Listen to what your body tells you when you do the things that lead to problems like hypertension.

[deleted]

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

#64
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.

Aetna, the US health insurance company, is planning to give away or offer a reduced price for Apple Watches to its 23 M customers. Apparently, following prescriptions is one of several planned apps to help increase health and reduce costs. https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/15/aetna-in-talks-for-disco...

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

#65
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hypertension presents no symptoms and left undiagnosed can lead to kidney failure. It's often referred to by doctors as 'the silent killer', and you don't need to eat like shit and be fat to have it. Going to your GP 2-3 times a year and getting your blood pressure checked (and your blood tested for the 'regular stuff') solves the problem. 'Listening to your body' pseudoscience doesn't really solve the problem.

> 'Listening to your body' pseudoscience doesn't really solve the problem. Well, all the big health issues in our societies are about giving a shit about your body.

"Listening to your body" is an un-falsifiable statement, though. What does it mean to listen to your body? If you don't notice anything, are you not listening hard enough?

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

#66

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.

Nobody is saying to use this to replace going to the doctors.

It's for you to just download the app, try it for a night, and see the doctor if the result concern you. It doesn't have to be hundreds percent accurate.

Are you against teaching people to do self check-up of breast cancer, too? Because I'm sure medical process of checking for breast cancer requires more complicate tools than just feeling your breast with a hand.

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

#67
post #44

It's quite interesting - the way we have evolved as a society has completely broken the link between "us and our body". We have stopped listening to it a long time ago. If we really listened to our bodies, we wouldn't eat/drink/consume stuff we don't need, we wouldn't be overweight, and we'd rapidly be aware of any health-related imbalance which needs restoring. But no, we forget our original (and free-of-charge) way…

If I really listen to my body it's telling me to eat and drink everything I can get my hands on. That's what it's programmed to do. What you're trying to say is that the more primal cravings should be ignored and we should be very conscious of what we eat / drink / do.

Body still tells me to sit in a couch and eat myself to an early death though.

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

#68

I'm skeptical about the accuracy of applications like this running on Apple Watch. I bought the Apple Watch Series 3 precisely because of articles like this. I now routinely get messages about how I've achieved my standing goal - while lying in bed watching TV or working on my laptop. If it can't accurately tell whether you're lying down or standing, it is unimaginable to me that it could be remotely accurate in dete…

This has never happened to me with the Stand goal, but it sometimes does with the Move goal / calorie count.

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

#69

Interesting, but are people really sleeping with their Apple Watch on? I don't you need to charge it every night?

You are overestimating how long it takes to charge an Apple Watch and underestimating the battery. 30-45 minutes while you're showering and having breakfast is enough.

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

#70
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hypertension presents no symptoms and left undiagnosed can lead to kidney failure. It's often referred to by doctors as 'the silent killer', and you don't need to eat like shit and be fat to have it. Going to your GP 2-3 times a year and getting your blood pressure checked (and your blood tested for the 'regular stuff') solves the problem. 'Listening to your body' pseudoscience doesn't really solve the problem.

When I had a medical test for my Australian permanent residency - full thorax x-ray, HIV test, the works - I asked the doctor doing the final once-over if "a routine checkup" is something I should be doing. He asked me how old I was. 30-ish, at the time. He asked me if I felt healthy. Yep. He said no, don't bother.

Exactly; no need to pressure an already overworked health care system with a "what if". Especially when you can check a lot of basic things yourself with e.g. a smartwatch, as this article suggests. I'm fairly sure an at-home BP measuring thing isn't too expensive either.
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