Your Apple watch says you have a heart condition. now what?

Some doctors warn that smartwatches and other AFib-detecting wearable devices aren’t proven screening tools, and say alerts for nonsevere cases can result in anxiety for patients, costly testing and unnecessary treatment (Photo: iStock)Premium
Some doctors warn that smartwatches and other AFib-detecting wearable devices aren’t proven screening tools, and say alerts for nonsevere cases can result in anxiety for patients, costly testing and unnecessary treatment (Photo: iStock)
 wsj 5 min read . Updated: 07 Oct 2022, 12:25 AM IST Julie Jargon, The Wall Street Journal

Doctors warn of atrial-fibrillation overdiagnosis by wearables from Apple, Fitbit and others. Yes, they can notify you—but what should you do when you get the alert?

Just because your smartwatch can tell you if you have an irregular heart rhythm, does that mean the information will do you any good?