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Smart watch credited for saving man’s life
FOX 26's Tiffany Justice spoke with the man who is thanking his smart watch for saving his life.
HOUSTON - February is ‘Heart Health’ Month and preventive steps can help save a life.
FOX 26 spoke to a man who is grateful to his smart watch for diagnosing a serious heart condition.
"I started having some irregular heartbeats, the rhythm of my heart wasn’t right," said Anthony Purser, a patient at HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake.
Purser is now grateful to a smart watch and his doctors at HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake for recommending to purchase one.
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Purser tells FOX26, his doctors were having a common issue when it comes to diagnosing Atrial Fibrillation.
"He ran some cardiac studies, but they all need up being inconclusive," said Purser. "I was still struggling with it but not at the right times, he suggested I purchase a smart watch."
Smart watches or wearable health technology playing a bigger role in the health care field, especially when it comes to diagnosing Atrial Fibrillation.
Dr. Sam Sharma, with HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake, says these types of heart conditions don’t exist all the time and they only happen intermittently.
"With Anthony wearing his watch all the time, he’s able to document that right away," said Sharma.
Purser says the app is user-friendly and easy to use.
"You go to the program, you hold down the little dial button for 30 seconds and it pops up with a summary as to what it found," said Purser.
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Sharma tells FOX 26 AFib is the most common irregular heart rhythm that exists in the U.S.
5 to 7 million Americans have it, it’s also one of the leading causes of a stroke.
He also says prevention is important, many times AFib is diagnosed when it has already caused damage to the heart, after a person has experienced a debilitating issue, like a stroke.
"It's very scary when your heart going through that, you’re wondering if you’re going to end up surviving the moment," said Purser. "Then you’re worried about if you’re going to have a stroke or not."
He’s now thankful that’s he’s still here and able to spend time with his family and grandchildren. He’s even healthy enough to get some boxing in.
Sharma says that there is still a possibility of a false negative with this technology and it’s important to consult with your doctor.