Anish Vij
A man has opened up about how his decision to buy an Apple Watch may have saved his life.
Steven Luemba, from London, purchased the tech product in 2019 while working an interior design job.
However, just a year later, Steven was sat at home watching EastEnders when his watch shared an important health alert.
Taking to his TikTok page (@steven_luemba) in 2022, he explained: "Do you want to know why I hate the Apple Watch? Well, because of this watch, I'm now on tablets to thin my blood.
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"Yay me. Because of this watch, it told me I had a problem with my heart. Yay me.
"I mean, I thought I was fine, but then one day, it pinged and said, 'I need to seek medical attention'.
"I was like, 'Why, I'm watching EastEnders?'"
After seeking medical attention, Steven went in for further tests which confirmed that he was suffering from atrial fibrillation (Afib), a type of arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat.
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It's a condition where the heart beats abnormally, either too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.
In most cases, no treatment is needed, but for some people it could increase your risk of having a heart attack.
"The doctors basically said that, if it had gone undiagnosed, it could have led to a stroke," Steven told Newsweek.
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"I considered myself to be fairly fit," he said. "I eat well, exercise and have always been a healthy person. I'm not overweight, I don't smoke and I don't drink excessively.
"If my watch didn't pick this up it could have changed the direction of my life entirely. I'm forever grateful."
Steven underwent surgery because he didn't want to spend the rest of his life taking blood thinners and Beta blockers.
He has since made a conscious effort to stress less, get eight hours of sleep and eating the right food.
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"So I prioritise me first," he added. "In the past I would try to meet everyone's needs whether it was work, friends or family.
"I was just doing too much."
All Apple Watch Series 4 and later models, as well as all Apple Watch Ultra models, can track heart rate.
However, Apple has stated: "Apple Watch is not a medical device and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical judgment.
"It is not designed or intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any condition or disease."
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LADbible Group has contacted Apple for comment.