Tim Cook Tweets Story of User's Apple Watch Detecting Atrial Fibrillation - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Tim Cook Tweets Story of User's Apple Watch Detecting Atrial Fibrillation

Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared a story on Twitter of an Apple Watch that alerted its user to atrial fibrillation, potentially saving their life in the process.

ecgapplewatchinaction
Elissa Lombardo tweeted Cook with her husband's experience with Apple Watch that occurred just two days after he started wearing the device.

The smartwatch's ECG feature detected the case of A-Fib during an elevated heart rate, which led her husband to seek medical attention.

Medical professionals apparently discovered a "major blockage" in his arteries but were able to correct the problem, and two days later he was feeling fine again.

According to Lombardo, her husband presented with similar symptoms in the past, but on those occasions he never visited the emergency room to get them checked out.


This isn't the first time an Apple Watch has potentially saved someone's life. When the ECG feature launched in December in the U.S., TIME published a story about a 46-year-old Texas resident who was having trouble breathing normally.

Fortunately, since he was wearing an Apple Watch and participating in the recent Apple Heart Study, he was alerted to signs of an irregular heartbeat and went to the emergency room.

At the hospital, doctors hooked him up to an ECG machine and found signs of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke and other potentially fatal complications. He spent the next few days in the hospital while doctors returned him to a normal sinus heart rhythm.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Tags: ECG, Tim Cook
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

apple watch series 3 design

Apple Offers Steps to Fix Daylight Saving Time Bug on Apple Watch

Sunday November 1, 2026 3:34 am PST by
Apple has published a support document describing what to do if your Apple Watch continues to show time that's off by one hour after daylight savings time changes. "This incorrect time appears only on the Always On display when your wrist is down," says Apple. "When you activate the display by tapping it or raising your wrist, the time changes to the correct hour." To fix the issue, Apple says ...
siri recap live rewind

watchOS 27.3 Brings Live Rewind and Siri Recap to Apple Watch

Tuesday November 3, 2026 10:35 am PST by
With the first beta of watchOS 27.3, Apple is introducing new Audio Intelligence features it previewed for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 earlier this year. Powered by the S11 chip, Audio Intelligence includes Live Rewind, Siri Recap, Sound Recognition, and Shazam Music Recognition. Sound Recognition and Shazam are already on the watch, but Live Rewind and Siri Recap are now available ...
apple watch series 3 design

Apple Watch Users in Europe Report Daylight Saving Glitch

Monday October 26, 2026 5:26 am PDT by
Some Apple Watch users running watchOS 27 are reporting a daylight saving glitch after clocks went back in the UK and Europe on Sunday. In a MacRumors forums thread, five users – several in the UK and central Europe – say their watch shows the correct time when activated, but the Always-On display keeps showing summer time, leaving it an hour fast. The problem has also been reported in...

Top Rated Comments

102 months ago
Meanwhile in the UK people are writing Tim on how they are dead and how the feature could have saved their lives.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arkitect Avatar
102 months ago
Apparently you guys have healthy hearts with the mediterranean diets so will probably last in the queue ;):D
Alas, that used to be true…

;)

Leading ten fast food chains in Italy as of December 2018 ('https://www.statista.com/statistics/561541/top-fast-food-chains-on-facebook-in-italy/')

MacRumors content image

Edit: Seems they even have ambulances on standby outside.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dave245 Avatar
102 months ago
In my opinion the Apple Watch is one of Apples best products to date, alongside the AirPods of course :)

Now if only Apple would release a new iMac!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
102 months ago
I’m in Italy and want my life saved, too! Come on Tim.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spazzcat Avatar
102 months ago
Meanwhile in the UK people are writing Tim on how they are dead and how the feature could have saved their lives.
Those people should write their government to speed up the process of approving the feature...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bbednarz Avatar
102 months ago
Meanwhile in the UK people are writing Tim on how they are dead and how the feature could have saved their lives.
They should probably be taking it up with the proper medical regulatory boards then. Don't you think Apple would like to have this feature activated around the world?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
5 hours ago
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
15 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
17 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
2 days ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
2 days ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
3 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
3 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
3 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
3 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
3 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
3 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
3 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
3 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
3 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
3 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
3 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
3 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
4 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
4 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
4 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
4 days ago