Epidemiologists in Europe warn that atrial fibrillation (AFib) rates in the EU may double by 2060. AFib is a common heart rhythm disorder that can increase the risk of stroke or heart failure if left untreated.
In the Netherlands, a team at Amsterdam University Medical Centers is working to catch AFib earlier. Led by Dr. Sebastiaan Blok, director of eHealth at the Cardiology Centers of the Netherlands, the researchers are running a randomized controlled trial using the Apple Watch. The study is part of HartWacht, the first reimbursable eHealth initiative in the country.
“There are about 300,000 people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in the Netherlands,” said Dr. Nicole van Steijn, one of the investigators. “But we believe around 100,000 people may have it without knowing, likely because they haven’t had symptoms.”
The study will include over 300 participants, all over the age of 65 and considered at risk for AFib. Half of them will wear an Apple Watch for at least 12 hours a day. Every three weeks, or when they feel unwell, participants will use the ECG app to check their heart rhythm. If the watch sends an irregular rhythm alert, researchers will follow up and ask them to send an ECG reading.
Within three weeks of the study’s launch, one participant in the Apple Watch group was found to have AFib, despite showing no symptoms.
Dr. Blok said the Apple Watch is an ideal tool for this research because of its wide use and reliability. The team hopes to expand their findings and eventually use the ECG app to help patients monitor heart health from home. They are also exploring whether the Apple Watch can help track heart failure and detect signs of worsening health earlier.
“We are continuing to grow and innovate with new opportunities, based in science and technology,” Dr. Blok said.
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