Is the Apple Watch a health device?
Asked by: Prof. Rocio Rice DDS | Last update: July 10, 2025Score: 4.5/5 (67 votes)
Can an Apple Watch be considered a medical device?
It's important to emphasize that Apple can't, by law, market the watch as a medical device. That would require regulatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration, not to mention a prescription from your doctor to get one.
Do cardiologists recommend Apple Watch?
If you have an abnormal heart rhythm, over time your risk of stroke may increase. If you experience palpitations or fluttering, your doctor might recommend you use the Apple Watch or another wearable to track your heart.
Does the Apple Watch really help with health?
Health and Fitness Tracking: The Apple Watch excels in monitoring health metrics like heart rate, calories burned, and even sleep patterns. With features like ECG and blood oxygen monitoring, it encourages a healthier lifestyle by reminding you to stand or move throughout the day.
Is the Apple Watch a good medical alert system?
Bottom Line. The Apple Watch has top-notch software and hardware, but it isn't designed to be a medical alert device. It's an option for tech-savvy users who are familiar with the Apple ecosystem. The $499 hardware cost for the Series 9 GPS + Cellular device is high compared to other systems.
Some doctors recommending Apple Watches to manage health conditions
Does the Apple Watch call 911 if you fall?
With Fall Detection turn on, Apple Watch can help alert emergency services when a hard fall has been detected and notify your emergency contacts. If Apple Watch detects a hard fall and that you have been immobile for about a minute, it taps your wrist, sounds an alarm, and then attempts to call emergency services.
What life alert system does AARP recommend?
While AARP recommends seniors use medical alert systems, it does not endorse any particular company. Instead, it encourages individuals to choose a system based on their unique needs.
Do doctors like Apple Watch?
My cardiologist, my internist, and my endocrinologist all wear them, and they are always interested in whatever data I have. I don't get the sense that any of them would diagnose based on what my watch says, but all three say it gives them a better sense of what's going on, and it points them toward things.
What is the disadvantage of the Apple Watch?
Performance is smooth, with only the rarest of bugs—making it a joy to use overall. However, I wish the battery life was longer so I could keep LTE (calls) on permanently. That's one area where the Watch still falls short, especially for those who want to stay connected without being tethered to their phone.
Can an Apple Watch detect illness?
The Vitals app establishes a typical range for each of your health metrics collected as you sleep. If multiple metrics are outside your typical range, you receive a notification along with context for factors that may be involved—like medications, elevation changes, or illness, for example.
Is the Apple Watch EKG accurate?
In short, the Apple Watch ECG is very accurate. One study by a Stanford Asociate Professor of Medicine demonstrated that the Apple Watch could accurately detect AFib in 84% of cases when compared to a traditional 12-lead ECG.
What do doctors think of smart watches?
Dr Jake Deutsch, a US-based clinician who also advises Oura, says wearable data enables him to “assess overall health more precisely” – but not all doctors agree that it's genuinely useful all of the time.
Can surgeons wear Apple Watch?
Traditional monitoring methods, like using Holter electrocardiogram monitors, are impractical in the operating room, limiting the assessment of physicians' health. Wrist-worn heart rate monitors, like the Apple Watch, offer promise but are restricted in surgeries due to sterility issues.
Is the Apple Watch medically approved?
The FDA said the Apple Watch is now usable in clinical studies. As the report noted, it means it is “Designed to be used … both before and after cardiac ablation devices, to monitor a study participant's weekly estimate of AFib burden.”
Can an Apple Watch measure blood pressure?
While the smartwatch itself cannot directly measure your blood pressure alone, there are compatible tools and devices available that can pair with it.
Is Apple Watch really good for health?
The ultimate device for a healthy life. Apple Watch can do what your other devices can't because it's on your wrist. When you wear it, you get meaningful health insights, a fitness partner that measures all the ways you move, a connection to the people you care about most, and advanced safety features.
What is the argument against the Apple Watch?
The lawsuit claims Apple's advertising misleads consumers by portraying the device as healthy devices. A class action lawsuit has been filed against Apple, alleging that some Apple Watch wristbands contain potentially hazardous levels of harmful chemicals.
Can you make phone calls with an Apple Watch?
With a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, your Apple Watch can do the following things, even if your iPhone isn't with you. Make and answer phone calls. Send and receive messages. Use Siri to get directions, send iMessages, and more.
Do cardiologists recommend Apple watches?
It allows them to understand lifestyle choices may impact their health. And from my perspective, it allows me to monitor my patients long term, remotely, no matter where they are in the world, to understand what's going on with their heart rhythm, simply by doing an EKG from the watch itself," Passman told CBS News.
Do doctors recommend fitness trackers?
“Fitness trackers are a great tool for heart health,” says Johns Hopkins cardiologist Seth Martin, M.D., M.H.S. “Being more active and changing your habits is important, but it can be difficult. Tracking likely helps a lot of people when combined with a clear goal to shoot for.”
Why do healthcare workers wear Apple Watch?
As a healthcare provider I don't always have my phone with me. I'm in and out of patient rooms and performing tasks that involve bodily fluids. So, the ability to determine if the babysitter is calling with an emergency or if an incoming call or text can wait, all with the flick of a wrist, is super helpful.
What is the number one medical alert system?
Best Medical Alert Systems of 2025, Reviewed and Tested by Tech Experts. Bay Alarm Medical is our top choice for medical alert systems thanks to their affordable prices, caregiver mobile app, and robust features.
What insurance company does AARP recommend?
AARP® Homeowners Insurance Program from The Hartford
Plus, you could save up to 20% when you bundle your home and auto policies. No-cost, no-obligation quotes are available.
How do seniors get free Life Alert systems?
Local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) often offer programs or can direct you to resources that provide free or discounted LifeStation medical alert systems. These agencies are dedicated to helping seniors live independently and can connect you with valuable community resources.