Apple wants to know your heart rate. For science(ˈsīəns).

Apple wants to know your heart rate. For science(ˈsīəns).

By Hayley(hilē) Tsukayama

Apple’s trying out something entirely(enˈtīrlē) new starting Thursday(-dē,ˈTHərzdā): a medical(ˈmedikəl) study.

The company has released(riˈlēs) a new app that will use the Apple Watch’s heart-rate monitor to check for irregular(iˈregyələr) heart rates as part of a study it’s running with Stanford University(ˌyo͞onəˈvərsətē). While others have used Apple’s software and devices in medical studies, this is the first time that it’s actually sponsored(ˈspänsər) one itself. The move is another sign(sīn) that Apple is moving deeper into the health space.

“Working alongside the medical community, not only can we inform people of certain(ˈsərtn) health conditions, we also hope to advance(ədˈvans) discoveries(disˈkəvərē) in heart science,” said Apple chief(CHēf) operating officer Jeff Williams, in a statement.

Health and fitness(ˈfitnis) have been a key focus for Apple, especially(iˈspeSHəlē) since launching the Apple Watch two years ago. That has allowed the company to tap the $3 billion health care market and, analysts(ˈanl-ist) say, find new audiences(ˈôdēəns) for its products and services. Apple already employs(emˈploi) a small staff(staf) of medical professionals(prəˈfeSHənl) to develop its health products, and it is reportedly(riˈpôrtədlē) working on a diabetes(-tis,ˌdīəˈbētēz) glucose(ˈglo͞okōs)-monitoring device(diˈvīs) that won’t pierce(pi(ə)rs) the skin. It’s also worked with hospitals to include more of its tech in patients’(ˈpāSHənt) rooms.

The new study takes all of that a step further: Now Apple itself will be running a study and submitting(səbˈmit) data to the Food and Drug(drəg) Administration(ədˌminəˈstrāSHən). The heart-rate researcher will look specifically(spəˈsifik) at atrial(ā) fibrillation — or afib — which refers to an irregular heart rate and is a leading cause(kôz) of stroke(strōk) and other heart conditions. The condition kills around 130,000 people per year, according to estimates(e) from the Centers for Disease(diˈzēz) Control and Prevention(priˈvenCHən).

Users have to be over the age of 22 if they want to participate(pärˈtisəˌpāt) in the study. If the app detects(diˈtekt) an irregular heartbeat, it will notify that person on the Watch and iPhone. From there, he or she may opt(äpt) to see a doctor online, for a free consult(kənˈsəlt) on their health. Apple and Stanford are partnering(ˈpärtnər) with Boston(ˈbôstən) firm American(əˈmerikən) Well to provide those consults.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/11/30/apple-wants-to-know-your-heart-rate-for-science/