Apple Watch Saves a Woman’s Life

By Tomide Olowoyo

A Kansas woman whose Apple Watch started beeping when it detected her rapid heartbeat says she won't be taking the smart watch off — it may have saved her life.

The device had detected that she had a resting heart rate of 120 beats per minute, which is abnormally high for a young adult resting on the couch. The "normal" resting heart rate range for adults is 60 to 100 beats per minute.

Hendershot's watch alerted her of a rapid heartbeat every 10 minutes, she told the Topeka Capital-Journal, and her heartbeat reached as high as 160 beats per minute.

She went to the emergency room the next day and was diagnosed with moderate-to-severe hyperthyroidism. The condition occurs when the thyroid gland is overactive and produces too much thyroid hormone, according to the American Thyroid Association.

Symptoms usually include nervousness, irritability, increased sweating, heart racing, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and muscle weakness, according to the Association. If left untreated, hyperthyroidism could lead to a life-threatening thyroid storm.

"My takeaway is that people should always get their annual physicals and blood work done — which I didn't do enough — because even if you feel fine you don't know what's going on inside your body," Hendershot said. As for her Apple Watch, she's still wearing it every day.

 - Tomide Olowoyo

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