UK: CEO Suffers Heart Attack During Run, Smartwatch Saves His Life

A 42-year-old man in the UK credits his survival of a heart attack to a smartwatch. Paul Wapham, the CEO of Hockey Wales, experienced severe chest pain during his morning run in Swansea's Morriston area. Using his smartwatch, he was able to quickly inform his wife, who promptly took him to the hospital.

Speaking to Wales Online, he shared, "I went for a morning run at 7 am as I normally do, and about five minutes in I had a massive pain in my chest."

CEO Suffers Heart Attack While Running

He described the sensation, saying how his chest felt tight, and then he was on his hands and knees on the road. Initially, it was a bit tight, but then it felt like it was being squeezed, like a vice. He managed to use his watch to call his wife, Laura. Luckily, he was only five minutes away, so she could take him in the car to the hospital. She ran in and called for paramedics, who quickly came and took over.

Upon reaching the hospital, it was revealed that he had suffered a heart attack caused by a complete blockage in one of his arteries. He underwent a procedure in the hospital's Cardiac Centre's catheterization laboratory to address the blockage. Following the treatment, he spent six days in the coronary unit for recovery before being discharged. As part of his ongoing rehabilitation, he will be participating in an after-care service at the hospital.

In another remarkable demonstration of its life-saving capabilities, the smartwatch again made headlines. Earlier, it rescued a woman, Kimmie Watkins, from Cincinnati, USA, by detecting a dangerous blood clot while she was sleeping. 

Initially feeling unwell with symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness, Watkins decided to take a nap. Fortunately, her smartwatch woke her up when it detected an alarmingly high heart rate of approximately 178 beats per minute, as reported by Local 12 News and Apple Insider.

In the report, Kimmie Watkins recalled that her smartwatch issued an alarm, notifying her about her persistently elevated heart rate. After more than 10 minutes of sustained high heart rate, she became concerned and decided to seek medical assistance. Subsequently, she visited her doctor, Dr. Richard Becker, who delivered a concerning diagnosis: Watkins had a saddle pulmonary embolism, a dangerous blood clot in her lungs.

Apple Watch Saves Life Again

Dr. Becker emphasised that survival rates for this condition are only 50%. Without the prompt alert from her watch, Watkins might have overlooked the issue, potentially leading to fatal consequences.

Another life-saving incident involving the smartwatch happened last month, highlighting its remarkable health and emergency features. A Reddit user, digitalmofo, recently shared his experience of how his Series 7 Apple Watch saved his life by alerting him to severe internal bleeding.

During a brief nap due to fatigue and feeling unwell, the watch detected an abnormally high pulse rate and promptly sent multiple high-alert notifications. Unaware of these alerts initially due to the Do Not Disturb (DND) mode, digitalmofo discovered the alarming situation upon waking up. To his surprise, the watch had issued more than 10 notifications, persisting even after he regained consciousness.

Despite taking a break and attempting to rest, digitalmofo continued to receive persistent alerts regarding his elevated pulse rate. Concerned about the ongoing issue, he decided to consult his doctor via video call. Initially, the medical professionals suspected a potential heart attack. However, after conducting further tests, they diagnosed him with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding—an alarming condition. The severity of the situation became apparent as it was revealed that, if left untreated, digitalmofo could have succumbed to the life-threatening condition during his nap.

 The smartwatch has been recognised for its role in saving numerous lives, and there are several stories worth exploring that highlight its life-saving capabilities. 

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