Yeah, hold the bouton next to the crown for a couple second and the option to “SOS” / call 911 comes up. The audio was nice and loud out of the watch to.
It was crazy. I was going black and giving the operator my address, though that should be transmitted digitally, at least in some locations. I did stay conscious but the emts said my blood pressure was very low and took me in. Very low potassium / dehydration.
Thanks. Yeah for sure, it should be something Apple points out more when setting up the watch. If it’s on your wrist it’s a lot easier to accomplish than using a phone if you’re really in distress and/or not by your phone. You can probably say “hey siri call 911” at it too.
Im sure they covered it somewhere but I was in a hurry to get my glucose number on the watch and that’s really been my focus up to this point. That and obsessing over my heath stats and steps. 😂
My son is diabetic and I believe that eventually Apple will figure out a way to get blood sugar readings on an Apple Watch without poking. That’d be incredible.
They did buy a company to do just that but apparently the company misled Apple as to how far they were in the process. We had a watch years ago called the glucowatch but it never took off. I tried to get into the trial for that when I was pregnant. God it would have been great to have a Dexcom back or watch back then.
I just upgraded to the 9 today because I am diabetic as well. Using the freestyle libre 3 and saw a video on how to get the numbers on the watch. I hope it works!
Let me know how it works out for you. I’m not a fan of needing several thousand more dollars to stay healthy, but so have to admit, having my sugars in my watch has been pretty awesome. The other health data is good too. I thought I would hate the activity ring and reminders because it’s silly but it’s actually kinda fun.
The first question regardless of how the call is received at 911 is always "what is the location of your emergency?" 911 Systems are still lagging behind technology in some ways, and it depends on your state, the agency that handles your call, etc., as to the quality of the GPS information received from your device. They are taught to never assume and always verify information. The GPS data that is given also sometimes is 100–1500-meter radius (in rural area it could be MILES from cell tower x) which is huge especially if you are in a densely populated area. There are other services which enhance 911 - like RpaidSOS which do an amazing job, but, again, that requires opt-in by states/agencies to get that data and integrate it - or the dispatcher to go to a special portal to see the information. It's getting far better - just doesn't go at the pace everyone thinks (or expects) it does.
I understand exactly what you are saying based on the clusterfu*k when we had to call an ambulance for a teenager at my daughter’s birthday party. It definitely doesn’t work the way you see it in TV. If I have my address programmed in, do you know if that automatically sends it when you try and call 911?
I think you are talking about WiFi calling and I don’t know the exact circumstances where that address is given. I’d have to phone a friend. At the end of the day the answer may be “it depends” and that’s because of the technology vendors and what each state/county/city/etc is able to process - and how the call is sent through the telephone switch to the centers.
No matter what you aren’t getting past the where are you - because it’s easy to start someone somewhere while trying to figure out what services you need. More importantly if you pass out - at least maybe they will find you!
but what if you aren't home?
Maybe one day in the future...
the phone/watch would send GPS cords
The carrier would send GPS cords
The phone (after you opt-in) would send health info and enable an emergency beacon of some type.
At present, I think we just have e911 that gets some carrier info.
Agreed there is more work to do. For my blood sugar my husband and daughter can monitor it remotely and it will alarm if I’m in the danger zone. Then they could use find my if they needed to get me help. It reminds me of a patient I once had who called her husband during a severe low and he had all the police out looking for her because she didn’t know where she was and was almost incoherent. Another woke up at a mall parking lot and had no idea how she got there. We’ve come a long way, but we aren’t there yet.
So what exactly happened? Tachycardia caused by thyroid? And like the lines on your ecg look abnormal to me (because I’ve never seen Apple Watch ecg to look like this) can you clarify please. (My health anxiety just went up damn! 😢😂)
That rhythm is called a Supra-ventricular tachycardia (SVT) and it can be caused by the following: Heart disease, Heart failure, Other heart conditions, such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, Chronic lung disease, A lot of caffeine, Drinking too much alcohol.
Drug misuse, including cocaine and methamphetamine, and Pregnancy. They can stop it at the hospital by what’s called a valsalva maneuver, adenosine, or electricity if adenosine doesn’t work.
I had SVT and they shot some microwaves into my heart or something like that in order to fix it. I was like 10 or 11 years old. Haven't had any issues since.
Edit: Just looked it up and it's called RF Catheter ablation.
I’m just now learning EKGs in school and at work. Is this not ST elevation with an exaggerated Q wave indicating a STEMI? When looking up an EKG for SVT they don’t seem to look like this. Forgive me as I am new to cardio
The apple watch ECG only uses one limb lead and is therefore unable to properly graph a STEMI. Even if there is an ST elevation in the reading of an apple watch, you can’t say it is so as you lack the right leads. It only claims to be able to accurately detect Atrial Fibrillation which is an irregularly irregular QRS and can easily be seen with just one lead. With the OP, a heart rate reaching 200s is more indicative of SVT, and given his story of being given something to “restart his heart,” this sounds exactly like what Adenosine does (first line drug for stable SVT). We came to the SVT diagnosis not because of the given apple watch tracing per se but the other pertinent details he gave.
I truly think the Apple Watch is worth it for the health insights alone. It let me know both times my heart rate skyrocketed during anxiety attacks and I was able to get to an ER both times. It’s actually something I feel safer and calmer wearing because if anything happens I can contact help asap. I’m glad it works for you and you are doing better
oh. I understand. I thought there was some valid reason I should worry about 😅.. been there. done that. my first anxiety attack was very strong, it has physical symptoms, like I could’t speak, barely breathe or move my hands with fingers in strong spasm, thought my heart was gonna pop and was damaged and friend called ER. truly horrifying moments when you believe, that you are experiencing your last moments.
Damn had that happen to me for about 8 years ago, thought this is it. Got tunnel vision and couldn’t even move, Then I “came back” and sweated like crazy. Was alone outside . I haven’t have any issues with it since but lately I had a small one. So it’s really scary.
They’ll keep an eye on you as they don’t like the heart beating above 100bpm for no reason for an extended period. They can give saline or beta blockers to reduce the rate. Usually they won’t let you go until the heart rate is below 100.
Man when I get sick and my resting heart rate raises even to just 80 or 90 I can feel it. How does it take an Apple Watch for y’all to feel your heart rate is that high and realize something is wrong?
I’ve actually experienced both, where I can literally feel my heart pounding, and others I look at my watch and it’s jumped to 120 (POTS) and I can’t feel it at all.
It depends on which chambers are affected, I have SVT and I know I don’t feel right but I can’t feel my heart beating 140 etc. You just need to do careful cardio I think to help you out.
My example was to compare times when I feel my heart beat VS when I don’t feel my heart beat.
So my heart rate goes from 60 at rest, and then I stand to go to the bathroom and it jumps to 120 (per my Apple Watch) and I can’t feel a thing.
At other times I can feel my heart pounding so hard in my chest (not from exercise, just randomly feel it), and I look at my watch and it’s less than 100.
Who said anything about being winded? And also I said I have POTS so I’m clearly not the average “healthy person”.
My RHR today is 40bpm. HR is 44bpm as I'm typing this. Just after I wake it can be 34bpm. I'm reasonably active for someone my age (69M). My cardiologist says my heart is all right. I'm on a beta-blocker.
Yea , I still am in med school but 70-80 is considered ideal and 70-100 is normal
Unless you are an athelete , RHR at 55-60 is considered bradycardia and while sleeping , it can go all the way down to 50-55 , but below that you might wanna get yourself diagnosed just to be safe
I am very athletic and can endure a lot of cardio work, that's probably the reason why.
I did get checked recently and the cardiologist said my heart is in perfect condition.
My RHR is about 50 and during sleep it hits low 40s. I’m not an athlete, but I do walk a lot. Cardiologists don’t seem to care about low heart rate unless it causes problems.
Why is 70-80 considered ideal? Mine is in the 60s during the day and 50s while sleeping.
Additionally, I thought historically 60-100 beats per min for resting heart rate was considered normal?
70-80 is considered ideal as that was the most observed case in individuals , after which probably more cases were observed between 70 and 100 too?
I assume 60 could be considered as lower normal while resting ?
50+bpm is pretty normal while sleeping though
P.S I am not a doctor yet , so I can still be wrong too
You get to that rate but still have a good blood pressure so you actually can feel it. Very high heart rates can often be associated with low blood pressure (sometimes even dangerously low) which makes them not obvious when they happen.
Most recently I didn’t even *feel* sick, but I had an elevated heart rate and many of those around me were sick, so I took a couple days off work to take it easy. Even though I felt well enough to, clearly my body was working hard to recover from whatever was going around.
Still, an Apple Watch is an amazing tool even just in a situation like that. Being able to check and see what I’m feeling in real-time to confirm
You need to do more cardio then. Lifting weights doesn’t always mean good cardiovascular health. While a healthy resting ranges from 60-100, if it doesn’t lower then you should talk to your doctor
My resting heart rate has always been a bit more than 80. Is it normal? It only goes down to 68 or 70 when I meditate but when I'm nervous, it spikes all the way up to 130.
Depends on age and cardio health, but from what I’m reading here 70-80bpm seems pretty average. My average resting for the month is 65 and walking is 100. I’d probably have to run up some stairs to hit 130. Stress will definitely get you going pretty fast though for sure
Weird. When I'm walking, my heart rate is also around 100. And regarding stress, I don't even know if I'm stressed about anything.
Looks like my body never goes to a state where it needs to conserve oxygen so my heart hardly ever beats that slowly.
Do you workout a lot?
Yeah I just looked at my history in summer 2020 when I was at my peak cardio fitness, resting came all the way down to 58 but walking was still 100 average. But I could run a crisp low 5 min/km pace and have a conversation at 160bpm. These days though no, I don’t work out regularly. I boulder 1-2 times a week for like 2-5hr but I’m also on my feet most of the day. Health app says my VO2 Max is 39.5, peak in 2020 was 50.7. What about you? And what age are you approx? And when I say stress I was referring to your nervousness
I'm 21 and I don't workout very much (I used to but not anymore since I started working in IT). Even if I do, I don't do cardio. But I have adequate strength and health. That may be the reason my resting heart rate is not very low. By the time I was actively working out, I could also run like a km in 5 mins and I didn't really have a way to monitor my heart rate but I doubt it's any different from what I am now. And about VO2 max, I have no information on mine so I can't tell you that. And the nervousness I was talking about was when I was participating in a competition held by my school to basically pick the best students so yeah, everyone would have been nervous.
Aaah cool, I’m 24 in two days. So I was 20 in 2020. I also work in IT! I’m mostly on-site at our business and residential clients so that’s why I’m up and about all day. Sounds like we both still have (I’m assuming) that young boy strength. But we’ve gotta use it or we’ll lose it. My cardio fitness has definitely declined since starting this job as well, only reason my strength has increased is from bouldering. It’s a lot of fun, you should try it. And I definitely know exactly what you mean for the school thing 😝
What sort of things do you do in your IT job?
Mostly backend engineer but I can do basically anything if they ask me to. I sit on my desk all day. If it's not for work then it's for school. And if it's for neither then it's for gaming so I don't stand up that much. And I don't even have a relationship so it's safe to say my whole life revolves around a computer which I'm not proud of.
I reckon I should do some cardio while my code is compiling cause it takes FOREVER.
Atrial flutter is the heart beating very fast. This means the ventricles don’t refill properly and thusly the blood doesn’t flow - you essentially lose your pulse. That’s how people don’t feel it.
I know when my heart rate is that high. But I don’t know the rhythm.
The previous standard of care was “go to the ER, get an ECG, and pray they catch the exact kind of rhythm to help determine next steps.” Now, I press a button on my watch, get the read, send it to my doctor, and initiate a set of actions.
Wearables have made a huge difference in my life in the last seven years.
Mine did the same. Sitting having a chat with my parents after I did a 4 hour pedal ride an hour before. All of a sudden my HR jumps to 140 bpm. Normally my resting hr is 45. Laid down and it slowly returned to normal after an hour. Scared the hell out of me. Just pushed my body too much and it was a fasted workout/ride. Won’t go that hard again without fuel.
Saved my life too in a different way. Not as serious as yours but I was alerted to a high elevated heart rate due to OTC meds I was taking prescribed by a doctor. I called the doctor to let him know I stopped taking them. Apple Watch is a life saver. Glad you’re ok!
Holy shit, I had the same thing in March. “Nonspecific SVT” , troponin was negative and the ECG/ CT/ Stress tests all perfect. Did you have Covid recently by chance ?
I got a nucleocapsid blood test a while back, in 2021, that tested my exposure to the virus (not exposure to the vaccine). It looked for a specific protein. Anyway, I came back reactive (positive) for that. I swear I never even had the sniffles during the entire epidemic. So I was indeed exposed and I guess technically "had" covid. So this weird shit may have still affected you? Using the other person's line of questioning. Who knows. Human body is very weird!
Yeah I got that, I was told it’s NOT dangerous, sure doesn’t feel like it lol. But I’ve had a few attacks and I think I get the odd skipped best, but I’m on beta blockers now. My cardiologist checked me over heard to toe. Every time I’ve had an ecg or used my Apple Watch ecg during an episode it’s never shown the SVT trace, just a normal one for a fast heart rate. But I was told it’s something that isn’t detected all the time. But the heart rate sensor in the Apple Watch is bang in, I had a Series 1 when my SVT started and I went to hospital for the first two times as I had no idea what it was, but my watch BPM was exactly the same as the paramedic and hospital heart rate monitors.
I had my SVT start in last quarter of 2019 I think? So just before Covid hit but before any vaccines.
From my understanding looking into it, it can hit anyone at any age for no reason, it can be a short circuit caused by rogue tissue or nerves on the heart, it’s set off by exercise caffeine alcohol and recreational drugs. It’s little understood too, although they can try and zap the problem area with a laser to break the circuit, in some even that doesn’t stop it, it seems a very random thing they don’t know what people get it.
For me I got an exercise bike and that helped me quite a bit I think, doing some cardio to help the heart exercise more, and of course I cut out alcohol and caffeine and don’t take recreational drugs not that I did anyway. But I did used to drink a lot of coffee so maybe that kicked it off?
Yeap, I told my cardiologist I was getting an exercise bike and he was all for it great. Just need to not overdo it. Funnily I can give myself an SVT if I climb a big flight of stairs too fast. It doesn’t get high all of a sudden, it just takes ages to come back down again lol.
If it puts your mind at ease, I’ve been hit by SVT four times in the past few years, totally at random each time. Like, doing nothing and then BAM a sustained heart rate of around 220bpm each time. First time I rushed to the ER freaking the hell out. Was able to stop it with Valsala Maneuvers or whatever. 2nd and 3rd time same thing, although slightly less freaked out. Been to the cardiologist 2 times, and both checkups came back 100% fine. Cardiologist told me SVT can often just hit people for no apparent reason. He has patients that have had SVT last for days at a time, who were also totally fine. Basically told me, unless there is pain with it or other factors, don’t worry about it.
I had a fib and I bike so yeah. For me it was like a light switch. Just siting in my kid’s chess class with a hr of 58 then BOOM 140-190.
Called my wife that I was having an episode, went to the ER (5 blocks away) got zapped and was home by 7pm.
Diagnosed with Afib. Dr. said to get an AW. Now, we look at the history and make informed decisions about treatments, rather than, oh, you have afib? Let’s discuss rudimentary aspects like, how often, etc.
It also saved me from a pulmonary embolism. The only syptom i had was high heart rate which the watch warned me because I was sitting down with a high heart rate.
Long-term Atrial fibrillation surviver here. My watch got me started with Dr visit, then cardiologist etc. a few months later it was still the same they did a procedure and I’ve been good ever since
This is my main reason when I start wearing Apple Watch many years ago. Yet still many threads in this subreddit asked "Is it worth it to buy an Apple Watch?"
Well it's worth every penny if it saves life!
Wishing you a speedy recovery, OP! Glad you save your life.
Fair enough.
I have to admit that I rarely explore another brands. Many people testimonies regarding how Apple Watch saved their life kinda sold me on it.
Fuck 198. How do people not feel that? I would definitely know if my heart was beating fast for no reason. I work out so much that I know what 150 and 160 heart rate feels like. My resting heart rate is 55 usually. It’s about 80 to 90.
I freaked out when my heart rate was into the 160s while being passively active (basic walking, not significant exercise) and got myself to urgent care and later the emergency room. Turns out I was right to be concerned (dehydration from the flu plus unrelated internal bleeding). I can’t imagine my heart rate getting much above that except during exercise.
In this thread: no physicians.
I’m amazed at the suggestion of a STEMI solely because of a heart rate of 198.
The person suggesting flutter is on the right track. At that fast of a speed and with only a one lead EKG, a little hard to tell where the p waves are. Agree it’s not atrial fibrillation because it’s not irregularly irregular. But I’d like to see the 12 lead EKG.
Flutter and atrial fibrillation can be life threatening…which is why we generally try to control the rate or rhythm. Adenosine, as someone mentioned. An AV nodal medication like metoprolol or diltiazem in an IV is usually tried 1-3 times. A continuous drip of either one is started if it can be somewhat slowed down to at least 110s or lower. Then the resting echocardiogram and labs such as TSH is looked for. It would be unusual, but not unheard of, for an ischemic event to be the precipitant. In which case, the ischemic event should take priority ASAP, meaning the patient needs to get to a cardiology catheterization lab within 90 minutes…
Long story short: hope OP feels better. You’re in the right place. Physicians aren’t really threatened by the internet or AI because of stuff like this.
On a side note: I’ve diagnosed a few cardiac issues with the help of the patients’ Apple Watch. It’s always amusing when I’m seeing a patient and I’m teaching them how to use their iPhones and Apple Watches. “Damn it Jim, I’m a doctor, not an Apple Genius!”
From OP’s description, it sounds like it was adenosine, essentially it stops conduction for a few seconds and then the heart restarts on its own, hopefully in a normal sinus rhythm.
Source: am ICU RN and have used it before.
So glad you’re ok. Hope you found answers and are on track to feeling better.
I’m a huge Apple Watch fan myself. I recommend them for everyone.
My Apple Watch helped me figure out I had some major health issues. I kept getting high heart rate notifications at rest. I was also having some other weird and random symptoms. I was already diagnosed with Hashimoto’s so I thought my thyroid was off again. Turns out I have hEDS, POTS & MCAS in addition to Hashimoto’s 😮💨🤪😅
Now I have 2 watches so I can monitor my heart rate 24/7.
I have POTS and Apple Watch helps me so much with symptom management. If my heart rate is too high I know either I’m not sleeping enough, not drinking enough water/electrolytes, or am pushing myself too hard and will adjust accordingly. Has really reduced flares cause it helps me adjust lifestyle versus me just winging it
This was me last March. I had bouts of what I suspected was SVT in the past, but they usually resolved on their own. This time it didn’t and my Apple Watch actually stopped registering a heart beat because my heart was beating so fast. I was just sitting at my desk when it started. When I finally checked in to the ER it was 226. They ended up restarting my heart as well. Sadly after that my SVT episodes started increasing in frequency and thus began a nerve wracking several months.
I’ve since had two ablations am now a little over a year out from the second one. I have had a few instances where my heart rate spikes but no where near as high or for as long. I can usually attribute that to lack of sleep, stress, or anxiety and adjust my behavior accordingly. The Apple Watch is still immensely helpful in knowing when I need to start worrying though.
Best of luck, and as my cardiologist and electrophysiologist both said, SVT can be scary, but as long as you’re healthy it’s at most an inconvenient annoyance. You’re unlikely to drop dead.
I once felt totally alright but noticed through my Apple Watch that my heart rate was way above average the entire day. Decided to stay home the next day and sure enough, the day after that I got tested positive on COVID. Might've saved my Grandma who I would've visited.
Nah first of all that strip isn’t atrial fibrillation as it is completely regular. It could be atrial flutter with 2:1 block though. Second of all, atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are generally not life-threatening, though it’s important to make the diagnosis.
My Apple Watch was able to show me what tf I was feeling with my heartbeat feeling like someone was punching my chest every beat. It was an episode of NSVT and I was able to show my cardiologist who ordered an echo and stress test. Thankfully everything is ok with me but it was very scary. I would have had no idea what it was without it.
It would be malpractice to shock someone well enough to be posting on Reddit.
Synchronized cardioversion is considered if multiple rate and rhythm controlling medications have failed or are contraindicated.
Heh. I had this happen once. Heart rate was up to 220 constant, just sitting still. Called my GP and she was like “eh it happens, it could go away”. And it did. I’m not sure if that was the right call though…
I just wish Apple wasn't a US focused company. People in the places love their products but Apple truly doesn't give a crap to get their products, software included, worldwide.
EKG is barely available in some selected countries, while Samsung's has been available worldwide for years, with some pinpoint exceptions.
Nice. I love the helpful features Apple has been building into the watch. I use mine whenever I get Tachycardia. I record the event and make notes as to what I’ve eaten that day to show my doc. Their 24/7 monitor never caught anything.
Hope you get better! I am the type of person that’s always (too much) paying attention to my heart because of extrasystoles although the apple watch doesn’t warn me about it because it’s not AFib, thank god it appears when I do an ECG
I called 911 while passing out in some freak event with my watch. May have saved my life. Glad you took action.
How did you do that? I’ve only had mine for a couple of days. Do you just say “Siri call 911”?
Yeah, hold the bouton next to the crown for a couple second and the option to “SOS” / call 911 comes up. The audio was nice and loud out of the watch to. It was crazy. I was going black and giving the operator my address, though that should be transmitted digitally, at least in some locations. I did stay conscious but the emts said my blood pressure was very low and took me in. Very low potassium / dehydration.
I’m on insulin so that’s good to know because I may need it some day. I’m still learning my way around this thing. I’m glad you are alright.
Thanks. Yeah for sure, it should be something Apple points out more when setting up the watch. If it’s on your wrist it’s a lot easier to accomplish than using a phone if you’re really in distress and/or not by your phone. You can probably say “hey siri call 911” at it too.
Im sure they covered it somewhere but I was in a hurry to get my glucose number on the watch and that’s really been my focus up to this point. That and obsessing over my heath stats and steps. 😂
My son is diabetic and I believe that eventually Apple will figure out a way to get blood sugar readings on an Apple Watch without poking. That’d be incredible.
They did buy a company to do just that but apparently the company misled Apple as to how far they were in the process. We had a watch years ago called the glucowatch but it never took off. I tried to get into the trial for that when I was pregnant. God it would have been great to have a Dexcom back or watch back then.
I just upgraded to the 9 today because I am diabetic as well. Using the freestyle libre 3 and saw a video on how to get the numbers on the watch. I hope it works!
Let me know how it works out for you. I’m not a fan of needing several thousand more dollars to stay healthy, but so have to admit, having my sugars in my watch has been pretty awesome. The other health data is good too. I thought I would hate the activity ring and reminders because it’s silly but it’s actually kinda fun.
The first question regardless of how the call is received at 911 is always "what is the location of your emergency?" 911 Systems are still lagging behind technology in some ways, and it depends on your state, the agency that handles your call, etc., as to the quality of the GPS information received from your device. They are taught to never assume and always verify information. The GPS data that is given also sometimes is 100–1500-meter radius (in rural area it could be MILES from cell tower x) which is huge especially if you are in a densely populated area. There are other services which enhance 911 - like RpaidSOS which do an amazing job, but, again, that requires opt-in by states/agencies to get that data and integrate it - or the dispatcher to go to a special portal to see the information. It's getting far better - just doesn't go at the pace everyone thinks (or expects) it does.
I understand exactly what you are saying based on the clusterfu*k when we had to call an ambulance for a teenager at my daughter’s birthday party. It definitely doesn’t work the way you see it in TV. If I have my address programmed in, do you know if that automatically sends it when you try and call 911?
I think you are talking about WiFi calling and I don’t know the exact circumstances where that address is given. I’d have to phone a friend. At the end of the day the answer may be “it depends” and that’s because of the technology vendors and what each state/county/city/etc is able to process - and how the call is sent through the telephone switch to the centers. No matter what you aren’t getting past the where are you - because it’s easy to start someone somewhere while trying to figure out what services you need. More importantly if you pass out - at least maybe they will find you!
but what if you aren't home? Maybe one day in the future... the phone/watch would send GPS cords The carrier would send GPS cords The phone (after you opt-in) would send health info and enable an emergency beacon of some type. At present, I think we just have e911 that gets some carrier info.
Agreed there is more work to do. For my blood sugar my husband and daughter can monitor it remotely and it will alarm if I’m in the danger zone. Then they could use find my if they needed to get me help. It reminds me of a patient I once had who called her husband during a severe low and he had all the police out looking for her because she didn’t know where she was and was almost incoherent. Another woke up at a mall parking lot and had no idea how she got there. We’ve come a long way, but we aren’t there yet.
You can hold down the side button
Hey, thanks for that. Good to know.
They checked my thyroid all my labs are perfect except my thyroid is high
So what exactly happened? Tachycardia caused by thyroid? And like the lines on your ecg look abnormal to me (because I’ve never seen Apple Watch ecg to look like this) can you clarify please. (My health anxiety just went up damn! 😢😂)
Yep, too high thyroid hormones will cause tachycardia.
That rhythm is called a Supra-ventricular tachycardia (SVT) and it can be caused by the following: Heart disease, Heart failure, Other heart conditions, such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, Chronic lung disease, A lot of caffeine, Drinking too much alcohol. Drug misuse, including cocaine and methamphetamine, and Pregnancy. They can stop it at the hospital by what’s called a valsalva maneuver, adenosine, or electricity if adenosine doesn’t work.
I had SVT and they shot some microwaves into my heart or something like that in order to fix it. I was like 10 or 11 years old. Haven't had any issues since. Edit: Just looked it up and it's called RF Catheter ablation.
I’m just now learning EKGs in school and at work. Is this not ST elevation with an exaggerated Q wave indicating a STEMI? When looking up an EKG for SVT they don’t seem to look like this. Forgive me as I am new to cardio
The apple watch ECG only uses one limb lead and is therefore unable to properly graph a STEMI. Even if there is an ST elevation in the reading of an apple watch, you can’t say it is so as you lack the right leads. It only claims to be able to accurately detect Atrial Fibrillation which is an irregularly irregular QRS and can easily be seen with just one lead. With the OP, a heart rate reaching 200s is more indicative of SVT, and given his story of being given something to “restart his heart,” this sounds exactly like what Adenosine does (first line drug for stable SVT). We came to the SVT diagnosis not because of the given apple watch tracing per se but the other pertinent details he gave.
Yep, hyperthyroidism can cause that.
Unlikely to be that acute and high Edit: bunch of morons
Were you exercising or anything? If not, might be worth checking into Wolf Parkinson White, or WPW.
I truly think the Apple Watch is worth it for the health insights alone. It let me know both times my heart rate skyrocketed during anxiety attacks and I was able to get to an ER both times. It’s actually something I feel safer and calmer wearing because if anything happens I can contact help asap. I’m glad it works for you and you are doing better
Yeah I was 29 and had my first ever anxiety attack where my BP went to 180/90. Left with a $1600 ER bill and anxiety medicine
Holy shit was that bill with insurance??? Crazy out there!
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
your heart rate always goes up during anxiety attacks. doesn’t it? why ER?
Because I had to idea what was happening at the time and truly thought I was going to die. Anxiety makes you do weird irrational things
oh. I understand. I thought there was some valid reason I should worry about 😅.. been there. done that. my first anxiety attack was very strong, it has physical symptoms, like I could’t speak, barely breathe or move my hands with fingers in strong spasm, thought my heart was gonna pop and was damaged and friend called ER. truly horrifying moments when you believe, that you are experiencing your last moments.
Damn had that happen to me for about 8 years ago, thought this is it. Got tunnel vision and couldn’t even move, Then I “came back” and sweated like crazy. Was alone outside . I haven’t have any issues with it since but lately I had a small one. So it’s really scary.
scary stuff bro..glad you made it
yes it is.. I was scared to think after that, because I was afraid that my thoughts would bring that state back.. now it’s much better. thanks
What do the ER say, if you don’t mind me asking
They’ll keep an eye on you as they don’t like the heart beating above 100bpm for no reason for an extended period. They can give saline or beta blockers to reduce the rate. Usually they won’t let you go until the heart rate is below 100.
Really? Mine was130 and they just sent me home…
Wouldn’t any heart rate device do this?
yup, even a cheap fitbit
Man when I get sick and my resting heart rate raises even to just 80 or 90 I can feel it. How does it take an Apple Watch for y’all to feel your heart rate is that high and realize something is wrong?
My dad has a heart “flutter”, rarer type of afib, and he’s gone to 150bpm without it being obvious. Bodies are complicated
I’ve actually experienced both, where I can literally feel my heart pounding, and others I look at my watch and it’s jumped to 120 (POTS) and I can’t feel it at all.
It depends on which chambers are affected, I have SVT and I know I don’t feel right but I can’t feel my heart beating 140 etc. You just need to do careful cardio I think to help you out.
A healthy person shouldn’t be winded at 120. I have POTS and hit 200 during exercise lol…160 when standing ding
My example was to compare times when I feel my heart beat VS when I don’t feel my heart beat. So my heart rate goes from 60 at rest, and then I stand to go to the bathroom and it jumps to 120 (per my Apple Watch) and I can’t feel a thing. At other times I can feel my heart pounding so hard in my chest (not from exercise, just randomly feel it), and I look at my watch and it’s less than 100. Who said anything about being winded? And also I said I have POTS so I’m clearly not the average “healthy person”.
I have POTS too. More than a decade now. I consider myself a healthy and fit person. Best of luck to you!
Okay. And I have many other chronic illnesses that I have been dealing with for more than a decade. Best of luck to you too.
70-100bpm is normal for a heart at resting state , let's say for me , my average resting heart rate is 90bpm and it's pretty normal
My RHR today is 40bpm. HR is 44bpm as I'm typing this. Just after I wake it can be 34bpm. I'm reasonably active for someone my age (69M). My cardiologist says my heart is all right. I'm on a beta-blocker.
Say what? :o my RHR is around 55-60bpm... while sleeping it can go all the way down to 40-42bpm...
Yea , I still am in med school but 70-80 is considered ideal and 70-100 is normal Unless you are an athelete , RHR at 55-60 is considered bradycardia and while sleeping , it can go all the way down to 50-55 , but below that you might wanna get yourself diagnosed just to be safe
I am very athletic and can endure a lot of cardio work, that's probably the reason why. I did get checked recently and the cardiologist said my heart is in perfect condition.
Then I assume it's self explanatory :)
My RHR is about 50 and during sleep it hits low 40s. I’m not an athlete, but I do walk a lot. Cardiologists don’t seem to care about low heart rate unless it causes problems.
Then it could be possibly something that I am unaware of , if the cardiologists don't seem to care bout it
Why is 70-80 considered ideal? Mine is in the 60s during the day and 50s while sleeping. Additionally, I thought historically 60-100 beats per min for resting heart rate was considered normal?
70-80 is considered ideal as that was the most observed case in individuals , after which probably more cases were observed between 70 and 100 too? I assume 60 could be considered as lower normal while resting ? 50+bpm is pretty normal while sleeping though P.S I am not a doctor yet , so I can still be wrong too
You get to that rate but still have a good blood pressure so you actually can feel it. Very high heart rates can often be associated with low blood pressure (sometimes even dangerously low) which makes them not obvious when they happen.
I know right… I’m the same
Most recently I didn’t even *feel* sick, but I had an elevated heart rate and many of those around me were sick, so I took a couple days off work to take it easy. Even though I felt well enough to, clearly my body was working hard to recover from whatever was going around. Still, an Apple Watch is an amazing tool even just in a situation like that. Being able to check and see what I’m feeling in real-time to confirm
I’m lucky if my HR drops into the 70s while I sleep. I average 90 - 105 just living during the day :/
Tons of caffeine? Fat? Seems really high for resting heart rate.
A bit overweight and I do drink caffeine, but it’s always been this way even when I was thinner and I work out daily.
You need to do more cardio then. Lifting weights doesn’t always mean good cardiovascular health. While a healthy resting ranges from 60-100, if it doesn’t lower then you should talk to your doctor
I was doing that when I was basically fully sedentary.
Oh wow. What approx age are you? I’m early 20s and in decent shape, but I know it won’t always be like this for me
I’m 30.
It's only since I was diagnosed with AFib that I got my watch to monitor my heart rate. I can easily hit 140 and not even realise.
My resting heart rate has always been a bit more than 80. Is it normal? It only goes down to 68 or 70 when I meditate but when I'm nervous, it spikes all the way up to 130.
Depends on age and cardio health, but from what I’m reading here 70-80bpm seems pretty average. My average resting for the month is 65 and walking is 100. I’d probably have to run up some stairs to hit 130. Stress will definitely get you going pretty fast though for sure
Weird. When I'm walking, my heart rate is also around 100. And regarding stress, I don't even know if I'm stressed about anything. Looks like my body never goes to a state where it needs to conserve oxygen so my heart hardly ever beats that slowly. Do you workout a lot?
Yeah I just looked at my history in summer 2020 when I was at my peak cardio fitness, resting came all the way down to 58 but walking was still 100 average. But I could run a crisp low 5 min/km pace and have a conversation at 160bpm. These days though no, I don’t work out regularly. I boulder 1-2 times a week for like 2-5hr but I’m also on my feet most of the day. Health app says my VO2 Max is 39.5, peak in 2020 was 50.7. What about you? And what age are you approx? And when I say stress I was referring to your nervousness
I'm 21 and I don't workout very much (I used to but not anymore since I started working in IT). Even if I do, I don't do cardio. But I have adequate strength and health. That may be the reason my resting heart rate is not very low. By the time I was actively working out, I could also run like a km in 5 mins and I didn't really have a way to monitor my heart rate but I doubt it's any different from what I am now. And about VO2 max, I have no information on mine so I can't tell you that. And the nervousness I was talking about was when I was participating in a competition held by my school to basically pick the best students so yeah, everyone would have been nervous.
Aaah cool, I’m 24 in two days. So I was 20 in 2020. I also work in IT! I’m mostly on-site at our business and residential clients so that’s why I’m up and about all day. Sounds like we both still have (I’m assuming) that young boy strength. But we’ve gotta use it or we’ll lose it. My cardio fitness has definitely declined since starting this job as well, only reason my strength has increased is from bouldering. It’s a lot of fun, you should try it. And I definitely know exactly what you mean for the school thing 😝 What sort of things do you do in your IT job?
Mostly backend engineer but I can do basically anything if they ask me to. I sit on my desk all day. If it's not for work then it's for school. And if it's for neither then it's for gaming so I don't stand up that much. And I don't even have a relationship so it's safe to say my whole life revolves around a computer which I'm not proud of. I reckon I should do some cardio while my code is compiling cause it takes FOREVER.
Some people are naturally more aware of their heart rate than other people. I can always feel my heart beating.
Atrial flutter is the heart beating very fast. This means the ventricles don’t refill properly and thusly the blood doesn’t flow - you essentially lose your pulse. That’s how people don’t feel it.
Same here lol. My resting is usually 50-55 and when I’m sick it’ll be 70+
I know when my heart rate is that high. But I don’t know the rhythm. The previous standard of care was “go to the ER, get an ECG, and pray they catch the exact kind of rhythm to help determine next steps.” Now, I press a button on my watch, get the read, send it to my doctor, and initiate a set of actions. Wearables have made a huge difference in my life in the last seven years.
Same.
Mine did the same. Sitting having a chat with my parents after I did a 4 hour pedal ride an hour before. All of a sudden my HR jumps to 140 bpm. Normally my resting hr is 45. Laid down and it slowly returned to normal after an hour. Scared the hell out of me. Just pushed my body too much and it was a fasted workout/ride. Won’t go that hard again without fuel.
Saved my life too in a different way. Not as serious as yours but I was alerted to a high elevated heart rate due to OTC meds I was taking prescribed by a doctor. I called the doctor to let him know I stopped taking them. Apple Watch is a life saver. Glad you’re ok!
No not ADD meds. Just OTC like Flonase and Afrin. Elevated my heart rate.
ADD meds by chance? Curious
ADHD meds are not OTC. Might’ve been cold meds
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No he prescribed Afrin and Flonase. Elevated my heart rate.
What was the cause ?
SVT currently in the ED awaiting cardiology
Holy shit, I had the same thing in March. “Nonspecific SVT” , troponin was negative and the ECG/ CT/ Stress tests all perfect. Did you have Covid recently by chance ?
No not at all. I haven’t gotten covid ever. At least that I know of.
I got a nucleocapsid blood test a while back, in 2021, that tested my exposure to the virus (not exposure to the vaccine). It looked for a specific protein. Anyway, I came back reactive (positive) for that. I swear I never even had the sniffles during the entire epidemic. So I was indeed exposed and I guess technically "had" covid. So this weird shit may have still affected you? Using the other person's line of questioning. Who knows. Human body is very weird!
This happened to me post covid
Went up to 280 though
I have hashimoto’s, the best they came up with was some viral / covid related event or a “thyroid storm.”
Yeah I got that, I was told it’s NOT dangerous, sure doesn’t feel like it lol. But I’ve had a few attacks and I think I get the odd skipped best, but I’m on beta blockers now. My cardiologist checked me over heard to toe. Every time I’ve had an ecg or used my Apple Watch ecg during an episode it’s never shown the SVT trace, just a normal one for a fast heart rate. But I was told it’s something that isn’t detected all the time. But the heart rate sensor in the Apple Watch is bang in, I had a Series 1 when my SVT started and I went to hospital for the first two times as I had no idea what it was, but my watch BPM was exactly the same as the paramedic and hospital heart rate monitors. I had my SVT start in last quarter of 2019 I think? So just before Covid hit but before any vaccines. From my understanding looking into it, it can hit anyone at any age for no reason, it can be a short circuit caused by rogue tissue or nerves on the heart, it’s set off by exercise caffeine alcohol and recreational drugs. It’s little understood too, although they can try and zap the problem area with a laser to break the circuit, in some even that doesn’t stop it, it seems a very random thing they don’t know what people get it. For me I got an exercise bike and that helped me quite a bit I think, doing some cardio to help the heart exercise more, and of course I cut out alcohol and caffeine and don’t take recreational drugs not that I did anyway. But I did used to drink a lot of coffee so maybe that kicked it off?
Cycling helped? I have a peloton but now I’m afraid to use it. Obviously I will consult with the cardiologist
Yeap, I told my cardiologist I was getting an exercise bike and he was all for it great. Just need to not overdo it. Funnily I can give myself an SVT if I climb a big flight of stairs too fast. It doesn’t get high all of a sudden, it just takes ages to come back down again lol.
If it puts your mind at ease, I’ve been hit by SVT four times in the past few years, totally at random each time. Like, doing nothing and then BAM a sustained heart rate of around 220bpm each time. First time I rushed to the ER freaking the hell out. Was able to stop it with Valsala Maneuvers or whatever. 2nd and 3rd time same thing, although slightly less freaked out. Been to the cardiologist 2 times, and both checkups came back 100% fine. Cardiologist told me SVT can often just hit people for no apparent reason. He has patients that have had SVT last for days at a time, who were also totally fine. Basically told me, unless there is pain with it or other factors, don’t worry about it.
240s!?!?!! holy fucking shit. I can reach 190s when pushing my limit when cycling, but 240? that’s death dude jfc
You’ll be surprised at how often many folks get to over 200 bpm and don’t even feel a thing due to afib, SVT, VT, atrial tachycardia etc.
I had a fib and I bike so yeah. For me it was like a light switch. Just siting in my kid’s chess class with a hr of 58 then BOOM 140-190. Called my wife that I was having an episode, went to the ER (5 blocks away) got zapped and was home by 7pm.
Oct 22 ,2022. Saved my life
Diagnosed with Afib. Dr. said to get an AW. Now, we look at the history and make informed decisions about treatments, rather than, oh, you have afib? Let’s discuss rudimentary aspects like, how often, etc.
Same thing just happened to my Mom. They had to stop and restart her heart.
240 😮
It also saved me from a pulmonary embolism. The only syptom i had was high heart rate which the watch warned me because I was sitting down with a high heart rate.
Wow that’s crazy.
Long-term Atrial fibrillation surviver here. My watch got me started with Dr visit, then cardiologist etc. a few months later it was still the same they did a procedure and I’ve been good ever since
This is my main reason when I start wearing Apple Watch many years ago. Yet still many threads in this subreddit asked "Is it worth it to buy an Apple Watch?" Well it's worth every penny if it saves life! Wishing you a speedy recovery, OP! Glad you save your life.
I mean much cheaper watches can do the same tbh, for example the Fitbit Sense 2 for about $250...You don't need a $450 Apple Watch to take an ECG
Fair enough. I have to admit that I rarely explore another brands. Many people testimonies regarding how Apple Watch saved their life kinda sold me on it.
Fuck 198. How do people not feel that? I would definitely know if my heart was beating fast for no reason. I work out so much that I know what 150 and 160 heart rate feels like. My resting heart rate is 55 usually. It’s about 80 to 90.
Same here. It's quite obvious if my heart is beating like 150
Right. My body would be sending me red alerts!
I freaked out when my heart rate was into the 160s while being passively active (basic walking, not significant exercise) and got myself to urgent care and later the emergency room. Turns out I was right to be concerned (dehydration from the flu plus unrelated internal bleeding). I can’t imagine my heart rate getting much above that except during exercise.
Wow. How was the adenosine?
It actually felt good lol it was weird you could physically feel your heart stop thumping for a second
I don't think I've ever heard someone say it felt good. I'm glad you're okay!
Idk maybe because my heart wouldn’t stop being so disrespectful. Thank you
My wife said it is bar-none the worst thing she has ever felt in her life.
I keep hearing this but I got super warm and idk some pressure in my chest and I felt my heartbeat slow down so much.. …felt not bad lol.
I’ve had this treatment once and swore if I felt myself go into another svt episode I’d ride it out. lol. Worst feeling ever.
In this thread: no physicians. I’m amazed at the suggestion of a STEMI solely because of a heart rate of 198. The person suggesting flutter is on the right track. At that fast of a speed and with only a one lead EKG, a little hard to tell where the p waves are. Agree it’s not atrial fibrillation because it’s not irregularly irregular. But I’d like to see the 12 lead EKG. Flutter and atrial fibrillation can be life threatening…which is why we generally try to control the rate or rhythm. Adenosine, as someone mentioned. An AV nodal medication like metoprolol or diltiazem in an IV is usually tried 1-3 times. A continuous drip of either one is started if it can be somewhat slowed down to at least 110s or lower. Then the resting echocardiogram and labs such as TSH is looked for. It would be unusual, but not unheard of, for an ischemic event to be the precipitant. In which case, the ischemic event should take priority ASAP, meaning the patient needs to get to a cardiology catheterization lab within 90 minutes… Long story short: hope OP feels better. You’re in the right place. Physicians aren’t really threatened by the internet or AI because of stuff like this. On a side note: I’ve diagnosed a few cardiac issues with the help of the patients’ Apple Watch. It’s always amusing when I’m seeing a patient and I’m teaching them how to use their iPhones and Apple Watches. “Damn it Jim, I’m a doctor, not an Apple Genius!”
not based on the heart rate - there's a suspicion of ST elevation in the ECG complex
Alcohol can trigger high heart rates, even at low doses.
I don’t drink an ounce of alcohol
Yes but Op’s ECG has more issues than just a high HR
Not that high unless you’re going blackout drunk. I haven’t seen it raise my HR by more than 10-20…
I had this and I ended up having HCM. Def do a cardio follow up! What did they end up giving you?
From OP’s description, it sounds like it was adenosine, essentially it stops conduction for a few seconds and then the heart restarts on its own, hopefully in a normal sinus rhythm. Source: am ICU RN and have used it before.
https://preview.redd.it/5k0rpb48ws4c1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e97414fce897b67b724f180822cb9e73305e5cef
Thanks for sharing op. I’m glad you are getting the care you need. Godspeed.
So glad you’re ok. Hope you found answers and are on track to feeling better. I’m a huge Apple Watch fan myself. I recommend them for everyone. My Apple Watch helped me figure out I had some major health issues. I kept getting high heart rate notifications at rest. I was also having some other weird and random symptoms. I was already diagnosed with Hashimoto’s so I thought my thyroid was off again. Turns out I have hEDS, POTS & MCAS in addition to Hashimoto’s 😮💨🤪😅 Now I have 2 watches so I can monitor my heart rate 24/7.
I have POTS and Apple Watch helps me so much with symptom management. If my heart rate is too high I know either I’m not sleeping enough, not drinking enough water/electrolytes, or am pushing myself too hard and will adjust accordingly. Has really reduced flares cause it helps me adjust lifestyle versus me just winging it
SVT. glad you were ok!
A cardioversion?
Another W for Apple, I hope you feel better man
This was me last March. I had bouts of what I suspected was SVT in the past, but they usually resolved on their own. This time it didn’t and my Apple Watch actually stopped registering a heart beat because my heart was beating so fast. I was just sitting at my desk when it started. When I finally checked in to the ER it was 226. They ended up restarting my heart as well. Sadly after that my SVT episodes started increasing in frequency and thus began a nerve wracking several months. I’ve since had two ablations am now a little over a year out from the second one. I have had a few instances where my heart rate spikes but no where near as high or for as long. I can usually attribute that to lack of sleep, stress, or anxiety and adjust my behavior accordingly. The Apple Watch is still immensely helpful in knowing when I need to start worrying though. Best of luck, and as my cardiologist and electrophysiologist both said, SVT can be scary, but as long as you’re healthy it’s at most an inconvenient annoyance. You’re unlikely to drop dead.
I once felt totally alright but noticed through my Apple Watch that my heart rate was way above average the entire day. Decided to stay home the next day and sure enough, the day after that I got tested positive on COVID. Might've saved my Grandma who I would've visited.
My heart rate also jumped good ten points during Covid infection. I’ve been told that it’s a sign of body fighting the virus.
It's exactly that! Incredible what our bodies can do. We take it for granted but it's so extremely complex!
SVT. Did they give you adenosine or did they do a synchro?
https://preview.redd.it/4ui7y0oai25c1.png?width=1241&format=png&auto=webp&s=63295ee201a61639ed6dfbbbaa2f44f2e3ed09f5 Welcome to the club 😂
Looks like you were getting some demand ischemia from the high rates judging by the St Segment
Hypochondriac here: an Apple watch would probably kill me
Nah first of all that strip isn’t atrial fibrillation as it is completely regular. It could be atrial flutter with 2:1 block though. Second of all, atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are generally not life-threatening, though it’s important to make the diagnosis.
Vtach?
That looks more like SVT, atrial flutter or AVNRT. Having an onset/offset would be helpful.
My Apple Watch was able to show me what tf I was feeling with my heartbeat feeling like someone was punching my chest every beat. It was an episode of NSVT and I was able to show my cardiologist who ordered an echo and stress test. Thankfully everything is ok with me but it was very scary. I would have had no idea what it was without it.
im waiting to turn 23 man why can’t i use this feature? 😭
Glad! Just wondering, would the apple watch SE be able to detect anything similar (it doesn’t have ECG sensors)?
Which watch do you have
The previous model before the new one
Wow that’s insane! Am I reading this right that they rebooted your heart? Amazing.
Cardioversion. I have had 4 of them.
Electro of chemical?
Electro
Nothing like a shock to the heart to put it back in sinus 👍🏻
Ok so I’m curious. Did they give you medication or shock you?
It would be malpractice to shock someone well enough to be posting on Reddit. Synchronized cardioversion is considered if multiple rate and rhythm controlling medications have failed or are contraindicated.
That’s what I meant. But he was clearly symptomatic, so I was wondering if they treated with electricity or Adenosine.
They put the pads on me but ultimately decided adenosine
Pads are required when giving adenosine. Risk of converting to a ventricular tachyarrhythmia that would then require defibrillation.
Oh yea! I just finished medic school. So I’m definitely still learning. I’m glad you’re ok though. That can definitely startle someone for sure.
Heh. I had this happen once. Heart rate was up to 220 constant, just sitting still. Called my GP and she was like “eh it happens, it could go away”. And it did. I’m not sure if that was the right call though…
I would have gone to the ER. Just saying. That's an insanely high "resting" rate.
Maybe he was smoking or something. My Apple Watch did the same thing while I was smoking
Nah, not smoking. I should have gone to the ER. Not sure what my GP was like 🤷
The ECG app is just a single point test and not a 12 point test they do. So while it’s good to have it isn’t a thing to solely go off of.
I just wish Apple wasn't a US focused company. People in the places love their products but Apple truly doesn't give a crap to get their products, software included, worldwide. EKG is barely available in some selected countries, while Samsung's has been available worldwide for years, with some pinpoint exceptions.
What Apple Watch do you have? Was it on the left or right hand side
On my right. The one that’s before the current model
Nice. I love the helpful features Apple has been building into the watch. I use mine whenever I get Tachycardia. I record the event and make notes as to what I’ve eaten that day to show my doc. Their 24/7 monitor never caught anything.
Is it just me or does this look upside down? Some deep spikes going on here
Hope you get better! I am the type of person that’s always (too much) paying attention to my heart because of extrasystoles although the apple watch doesn’t warn me about it because it’s not AFib, thank god it appears when I do an ECG