Apple And Johnson & Johnson Announces Health Study 'Heartline'

Apple and Johnson & Johnson today announced a new partnership to study whether the Apple Watch can help reduce the risk of stroke and detect AF early. Atrial fibrillation is the leading cause of stroke, but Johnson & Johnson says it's problematic to diagnose since people usually don't show symptoms.


Dr. C. Michael Gibson*, Co-Chair of the Heartline Executive Committee and Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and CEO, Baim Institute, said in a statement:
Heartline is a study that has the potential to fundamentally change our understanding of how digital health tools, like the ECG app and irregular rhythm notification feature on Apple Watch, could lead to earlier detection of AFib, helping patients understand and directly engage in their heart health, prompting potentially life-saving conversations with their doctors, and improving health outcomes.
The partnership announced today by Apple and Johnson & Johnson is called "Heartline," a nationwide, randomized, controlled APP-based, virtual study developed by Johnson & Johnson and Apple. The research study is available to volunteers starting today. Participants must be 65 years of age, a U.S. resident, have traditional medical insurance, and an iPhone 6s or later.

In December 2018, Apple began providing AF detection on the Apple Watch Series 4. The feature allows users to use Apple Watch for quick tests to see if they may have atrial fibrillation. If needed, the user can also provide the results to the doctor for further analysis and testing.

Currently, about 33 million people worldwide suffer from AF. In the United States alone, about 750,000 people are admitted to the hospital each year for treatment, and about 130,000 people are lost to their lives.

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