Can Apple Watch Detect Illness Ahead of Diagnosis?

SYDNEY (IANS) -A nursing student in Australia is encouraging Apple Watch owners to enable heart rate notifications after the wearable device detected symptoms of a thyroid condition months before being diagnosed.

Apple’s heart rate notifications have helped numerous people detect issues with their heart, prompting them to go and seek further medical assistance, reports AppleInsider.

In a recent posting to TikTok, it’s shown the wearable device can detect very early changes that could end up being diagnosed months later.

Posted on Feb. 2, TikTok user Lauren encouraged viewers of her video to enable notifications for detecting low and high heart rates, irregular rhythms, and for cardio fitness levels.

In the video, spotted by The Independent, the Sydney-based nursing student admitted that she should have enabled the features earlier than she did, as it had medical consequences.

In Lauren’s explanation, she said she was diagnosed with a thyroid condition a few weeks previously. However, she admits “I would have realised something was going on if my Apple alerted me of changes”.

“Instead of me waiting for the symptoms to get really bad, I could have gone to the doctor back in October, when there was this dramatic drop in a matter of days,” Lauren added.

Lauren mentioned that it dramatically dropped, which means her cardiovascular system was not working as well as it once was.

The drop also correlated with other symptoms, including fatigue, sensitivity to heat, gaining weight, dry skin, and increased irritability.

In December, she was diagnosed with thyroid hemiagenesis and is undergoing treatment.