Apple Watch Alerts Lead to Early Cancer Diagnosis for New Zealand Woman
Amanda Faulkner credits her Apple Watch Series 10's Vitals app for detecting an unusually high heart rate, prompting a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and life-saving early intervention.
- Amanda Faulkner, a psychiatrist in New Zealand, was alerted by her Apple Watch Series 10's Vitals app about an abnormally high resting heart rate, significantly above her usual baseline.
- The persistent alerts prompted her to seek medical attention, leading to a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, an aggressive and rare blood cancer.
- Doctors emphasized that the early detection was critical, as a delay of just a few days could have been fatal due to the cancer's rapid progression.
- Faulkner is currently undergoing chemotherapy at Palmerston North Hospital and is scheduled for a high-risk stem cell transplant in July 2025.
- The incident highlights the potential of consumer devices like the Apple Watch to act as early warning systems for serious health conditions, though they are not substitutes for professional medical evaluation.
Digital Trends 
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