Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a chronic condition where the heart’s upper chambers beat irregularly compared to the lower chambers. If left untreated, it can lead to severe complications like heart failure or blood clot formation. Unfortunately, AFib may not show noticeable symptoms until it becomes advanced. However, Apple Watch offers a promising AFib History feature that helps monitor this condition.
Introduced during the 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the AFib History feature is now available in India. AFib is a dynamic condition, and the time spent in AFib can vary depending on factors like exercise, sleep, diet, and underlying health conditions.
Individuals who have been diagnosed with AFib can utilize the AFib History feature on their Apple Watch to track the duration of AFib episodes. This tracking helps them manage lifestyle factors that may impact their condition.
The feature offers a weekly estimate called AFib burden, which represents the percentage of time the heart showed signs of AFib during the previous week. Users can monitor this estimate over time and share the data with their healthcare provider for further analysis and discussion. This information aids in better understanding and managing the condition effectively.
To activate the AFib History feature on your Apple Watch, follow these steps:
1. Make sure your iPhone and Apple Watch have the latest iOS and watchOS updates, respectively.
2. Open the Health app on your iPhone.
3. At the bottom of the screen, tap “Browse,” then select “Heart.”
4. Locate and tap on “AFib History.”
5. Tap “Set Up” and then choose “Get Started.”
6. Provide your date of birth and confirm that you have received an AFib diagnosis from a medical professional.
7. Tap “Continue” to get more information about AFib History, its outcomes, and the monitored lifestyle factors.
8. Finally, select “Done” to finish setting up the feature on your Apple Watch.
