Study to Assess Apple Watch's Efficacy in Lessening Need for Blood-Thinners

Following the reception of a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, researchers from Northwestern University and Johns Hopkins are conducting a study to determine the ability of the Apple Watch to reduce the use of blood-thinning medication.

According to the press release, atrial fibrillation (AFib) impacts 2.5 to 5 million Americans, and researchers are working to determine the types of treatment that may be effective in managing the condition. The most common treatment method is blood-thinning medication, which has been shown to decrease the likelihood of a stroke despite some side effects.

Further, along with the increase in telehealth resources, including wearable devices, comes questions surrounding how effective they may be in clinical treatment. In this study, researchers used the $37 million grant to evaluate the outcomes of a 'pill-in-pocket' strategy, which included implementing an Apple Watch, for the treatment of AFib.

The study of the Apple Watch will take place over seven years and will include 5,400 patients, some of whom will receive care through an intervention protocol and others who will receive care through a standard method.

The intervention group will receive care directed through an application on the Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch will monitor heart activity, alerting users if their heartbeat is irregular. Once alerted, patients can take their blood-thinning medication during the period when they are at high risk for a stroke and then discontinue the medication. Thus, patients can customize their medication patterns. 

“Many of these patients are on blood thinners for the rest of their lives even if they have infrequent episodes of atrial fibrillation,” said Rod Passman, MD, principal investigator of the study, director of the Center for Arrhythmia Research, and a professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, in a press release. “If we can show this strategy is equally protective against stroke and reduces bleeding, that could save lives, reduce cost and improve quality of life.”  

The use of wearable devices to track health information and guide treatment for various conditions is gaining popularity.

A study from June found that a smartwatch device could monitor Parkinson’s disease patients remotely and measure patient response.

Another study published in April found that a wearable sensor could monitor various health indicators such as heart rate and skin temperature to determine if a patient has COVID-19.

More research from July found that a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) was effective in identifying changes in blood sugar levels among patients on dialysis. Providers seek to track blood sugar levels for many reasons, including avoiding a case of hypoglycemia. The study showed that CGMs provided sufficient and relatively accurate information.