My smart watch saved my life when it alerted me to deadly illness
A SMART watch saved a man’s life after his heart stopped 138 times in 48 hours.
David Last, 54, was gifted a new Apple watch from his wife, Sarah, 50, for his birthday in April.
When he put the device on, readings showed David had a resting heart rate as low as 30bpm (beats per minute).
Resting heart rates for an adult male are usually between 60-100bpm.
David initially thought the watch was faulty and didn’t take much notice of the readings – despite Sarah urging him to get checked out.
Eventually the dad-of-four went to see his doctor who referred him to a cardiologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, where he was booked in for an MRI scan in May.
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The results came back two months later and David was referred back to the consultant, who quickly gave him a 48-hour ECG test to monitor his abnormal heart rate.
David only then realised something was desperately wrong when he had five missed calls from the hospital asking him to come back in as a matter of urgency.
He was told that he had third degree heart block, after the junction box in his heart had worn down and he was at risk of sudden cardiac death.
The IT developer underwent life-saving surgery to fit a pacemaker in his heart – which keeps his heart beating in rhythm – on August 12 at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and says he’s feeling “relieved” and has “a lot more energy”.
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David, from Norwich, Norfolk, said: “My wife keeps saying that she saved my life, and she’s not wrong.
“If she hadn’t had bought me my Apple watch for my birthday, I wouldn’t be here.
“I will always be eternally grateful to her for it. Apart from charging it, it’s always staying on me now.
My heart had stopped 138 times in 10 second intervals over a 48-hour period
David Last
“It’s incredible that it can monitor your heart rate and alert you if there is a problem.”
After undergoing a series of tests and scans, David arrived at Norfolk And Norwich University Hospital and was told the severity of the situation.
He says the hospital sounded “really panicky” on the phone. Once he got there, they had a bed ready immediately.
During the he pre-surgery consultation he was told his case was unusual, and they had extensive meetings about what they were going to do.
He said: “They explained that I had something called ‘heart block’. The junction box in my heart had stopped working and failed to pass on electrical pulses.
“My heart had stopped 138 times in 10 second intervals over a 48-hour period.”
What is heart block?
Heart block is a condition where the heart beats slower or with an abnormal rhythm.
It’s caused by problems around electrical pulses that control how your heart beats, according to the NHS.
There are three variations of how severe a heart block is – with the least severe categorised as 1st-degree heart block, which may not cause symptoms, while 3rd-degree heart block can be a medical emergency.
All degrees of heart block increase the risk or developing other heart rhythm problems.
‘NO SYMPTOMS’
David found out that this would happen mainly whilst he was asleep – causing another part of his heart to kickstart the blood flow, before the process would repeat.
He spent two nights in hospital before having surgery for cardiac resynchronisation therapy – also known as a three-lead pacemaker – on August 12.
David’s surgery involved making a pocket in his upper chest, to implant the pacemaker disc and then feeding the wires through the veins and attaching them to the top and bottom of the heart – and he was told it was successful.
His newly-fitted device will now sense any abnormal rhythms and help both heart ventricles pump blood in sync.
But because of the electrical activity, David can now no longer use the induction hob in his kitchen.
David and Sarah got married in-between his MRI and ECG tests on June 18, unaware of the seriousness of the issue, with David describing it as ‘life as normal’.
He said: “I had no symptoms whatsoever. We even went to Italy for 10 days for our honeymoon – I had no idea anything was wrong. Even the doctors were amazed.”
David said: “Sarah really looked after me. She keeps saying how proud of herself she is – and she should be, she saved my life.”
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David confirmed that he’s feeling much better and returned to work this week.
If you’re worried about your heart rate, you should always seek medical advice through your GP or nearest A&E.