Stanford releases details of heart rhythm study with Apple Watch

The prestigious Stanford University has published a paper explaining how it will track more than 400,000 Apple Watch users to discover arrhythmias in people who have never seen a cardiologist before.

In a paper published in the scientific journal American Heart Journal, Stanford explains how the Apple Watch clinical trial will work. Although the university had previously indicated that it would conduct a large-scale study among volunteers with an Apple Watch into the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias, the paper provides a first insight into the plans.

For example, it appears that in the so-called Apple Heart Study a total of 419,093 people have signed up to participate, and with that the recruitment period has ended. Those who have signed up will be tracked for the foreseeable future while wearing their Apple Watch, which regularly measures their heart rate. Users must also install the corresponding application on their iPhone.

The aim is to determine whether the smart watch is suitable for recognizing abnormalities in the heart rhythm, for example caused by fibrillation of the atrium in the heart. The Stanford researchers indicate that in a large number of people these abnormalities remain hidden because there are initially no symptoms. Stanford also wants to investigate whether detecting abnormalities in the heart rhythm also leads to contact with healthcare professionals for further investigation.

The study is also a cause for concern because it is completely virtual. For example, so-called ‘e-consent’ is used, whereby participants digitally give their consent to participate in the study. The so-called informed consent procedure is one of the ethical pillars of clinical research, requiring participants not only to give approval, but also to indicate that they understand what the study entails and what is expected. In addition, in the Apple Heart Study, all study visits are conducted digitally through telehealth, where conversations with study physicians are conducted remotely.