https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMicm2500438 That's the entire article

My understanding is she had some severe emotional distress, then noticed chest pain, which showed up on her smartwatch and real ECG, so they gave her meds, and 6 weeks later she was all better. It is unclear whether her chest pains continued beyond the 2 hours when she got to doctors office.

If I understand right, the point is that stress can actually cause real heart problems? Crazy.

I've never followed medical articles, but I thought the machine was called EKG, not ECG? I realize in english the abreviation makes more sense as ECG, but feel like (in USA) I've always heard it called EKG, probably from german or something.... maybe invented there? i guess i could look that up....

But I've certainly heard the advice about if you have chest pain, go to a doctor, cuz it could be something serious. My 93 year old grampa had chest pain last weekend in fact, so we took him to doctor right away, but he's fine. But never can be too careful, don't ignore chest pain!

An ECG test is also known as an EKG test. It's a non-invasive test that checks heart function.
I'm glad that her smart watch proved to be very useful!

Hi,

I have been getting afib alerts on my iWatch and my Kardia mobile device. My Personal Care Physician had to do a ECG. No indication but P-wave alongation with several duration irregularities. I had to see him in order to to get a referral to a cardiologist. The cardiologist did a 16 lead and did show the elongation times but no atrial fibrillation. He then ordered a series of test, a Holter monitor for seven days, then an Echo and after that a Heart Pharma stress test. Plus more blood panels. My cardiologist stated that the iWatch and Kardia algorithm is at fault and that 12 or 16 lead would show the best results. ECG is 12 lead and EKG is sixteen lead.

After the test were complete we had a summary followup and was told that my Astorvistatin should be doubled to the max at 80 mg because my HDL was at 76. He wants me at 70 or below. My overall Cholesterol was 146. MY PCP said that my numbers were within reason able setting. But most Cardiologist always used the 70 or below mark. My VA doctor insisted a new panel should be done. I did so and she went over the results an stated that my HDL was 70 and a good number. That after a 10 day doubling of the statin.
I just had a Left heart catheterization/possible coronary intervention and it showed a right coronary artery at 100% blockage. DR said it would be best to medically treat that condition. I had suspicion of the blockage since I had several stints placed in that artery on 2 different catheterization.

I see my Cardiologist soon to see what he suggests. And asked to reduce my statin since I can not have any beer or other alcohol. The good from quitting drinking is that I've lost about 9 lbs.

EDIT: I had to take a lot of preop meds like prednisone 50 mg, Benydryl 50 mg, Tagmet 50 mg all at 13 hr before operation, then 7 hr and 1 hr. The large of dose for prednisone has messed up my system. I've got the shakes and my sleep cycle is not right. I was on prednisone for over 20 years with a stepped cycle of 20 mg. My last back surgery required me to get off prednisone and when I had a follow up the Dr said to restart that med. I said no more and that I had found another method to control my asthma. I was told that prednisone was a wonder drug and I did wonder why I allowed myself to take it so long.

‘Clinical Features and Outcomes of Takotsubo (Stress) Cardiomyopathy’
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1406761

As for me, I don't want my watch broadcasting this sort of probably-erroneous information, anonymously and without my knowledge or consent, to insurers who might therefore deny me coverage.

When "data" is available, it is natural to expect that it will be used, perhaps "by an algorithm." A computer accepts this input, and processes it against 4,523,395 "insurance applicants," and renders a nice vertical line on somebody's graph ... and y-o-u are on the wrong side of it. There is no "cardiologist." The automated system simply ensures that you will never be allowed to see one. (Bonus: Link to sites which offer 30% discounts on tombstones.)

Mind you – I am not being cynical. This is what happens when "computers are minding the hen-house." You've spent your entire career trying to teach your employers how to use software "properly." But, what if they don't? This is not a "Con-theory." What if your future survival depends on an if statement? In these days, you need to contemplate that, because it's a whole lot easier to let a computer do decision-making. On the illusion that it can. We are now living in an "AI world" in which this very idea is now being promoted to the general public. So, "this is where we all are."