Apple Watch re: SVT, mainly PSVT, of the AVNRT variety

Posted by opiestrer @opiestrer, Apr 6 9:47am

I am a 76 year old male.

I've had PSVT for 30 years. (Rapid heart rate over 140 bpm for minutes or hours.)

Every cardiologist I have seen says, "benign.... "
and further, " we can prescribe medication or surgical ablation to 95% control it if you can't control it yourself."

For many years I just endured the SVT high bpm until I learned the valsalva maneuver.

As an engineer who loves research, I have kept good records for all those years. My SVT occurred once a month or so for many years but has recently changed to once or twice a day in 2024.

I wear a Polar H9 chest strap plus a Garmin Vivosmart 4 almost all the time, even sleeping. My app software is "Heart Graph" app by Smoky Cat Software, (Android and Apple, no subscription needed and no ads, this app is the best and I tried about 30 others..) plus Garmin Connect app, plus Apple Health app. I was once prescribed the medical DME "holter" device to wear for a 7 day period last year.

I share my amateur graphs with my doctors and would be happy to share them here if allowed. The typical SVT graph would show a normal 72 bpm base rate, then a skyrocket shoot up to 140 bpm or higher, then I perform my vagus nerve valsalva maneuver and the result is a trigger of a very rapid decline back down to 72 bpm or so. The graph clearly shows a maximum of usually 2 minutes at the max rate, so my valsalva maneuver works well.

In my early years, before learning about the vagus nerve, I would log up to two hours at the high rate.

Thank you dear reader, for I am finally getting to my question.

It is my non-expert opinion that each person only gets so many millions of heart beats. So, if I can stop my SVT quickly, I win. But, last night my uncomfortable Polar H9 chest strap dislodged and I lost monitoring and I missed a 45 minute SVT episode at 1230am. I never awoke. Normally the linked alarm on my smart phone would have wakened me immediately. This morning my Garmin app showed me when the SVT occurred while sleeping. ( I use the H9 with the Smoky Cat app to wake me.)

Finally, my question:
I want to know if anyone has a Series 9 Apple Watch with blood oxygen monitor feature to record their SVT and how well it works for you? I think that device will allow me to get rid of the chest strap and also be more accurate.

Plus, I will try to get my Medicare Advantage health insurance pay for it as a DME, durable medical device.

So, two questions:

1. Apple Series 9 watch for SVT monitor?
2. Insurance covered Apple watch as DME?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.

emmiemae08 | @emmiemae08 | Nov 3 8:41pm

In reply to @opiestrer "Little neg news and big positive news. The negative is my health insurance company just laughed..." + (show)

Has you Apple Watch captured the SVTs. Considering purchasing.

opiestrer | @opiestrer | Nov 3 10:09pm

In reply to @emmiemae08 "Has you Apple Watch captured the SVTs. Considering purchasing." + (show)

Wow ! My Series 9 Apple watch plus the free app called Smoky Cat Heart Graph (I upgraded to premium for $3)
gives me total monitoring of my SVT episodes. Outstanding. Maybe 9 months so far of monitoring.
I have several photos that I have shared here in other topics. I think you can search my name to find them?
If I can help you in any way please ask.
Here are some other pictures.
Plus I can do an ECG graph right during the SVT episode!

opiestrer | @opiestrer | Nov 3 10:18pm

One more pic my recorded ECG of a recent SVT episode on my Apple 9 watch.
The whole ECG looks like a regular one from a doctor's office except it is one lead and not multi lead.

emmiemae08 | @emmiemae08 | Nov 4 6:46am

In reply to @opiestrer "One more pic my recorded ECG of a recent SVT episode on my Apple 9 watch...." + (show)

Thanks for your reply!

slkanowitz | @slkanowitz | Nov 6 4:08am

In reply to @opiestrer "Wow ! My Series 9 Apple watch plus the free app called Smoky Cat Heart Graph..." + (show)

I’m so impressed with your monitoring technical skills and apps! I am having short runs of SVT and lots of PACs with palpitations, severe pounding of my heart. So uncomfortable! I have an Apple Watch that I use as well to monitor and record ECG during episodes. I’m glad the Val Salva works for you. Curious why you aren’t on a beta or calcium channel blocker to prevent the episodes. These work quite well for preventing SVT instead of putting up with them. I can’t answer your question about the apple watch with pulse oximeter, but I think it is a good idea to check that, which could be done separately with a regular pulse oximeter. If your oxygen level is dropping during the SVT, that might be more reason to be on preventative medication or consider ablation. I’m on generic Bystolic and it’s working well. These episodes are quite uncomfortable usually and I am surprised your doctor is so cavalier about them. I assume you have a cardiologist?

opiestrer | @opiestrer | Nov 6 7:26pm

In reply to @slkanowitz "I’m so impressed with your monitoring technical skills and apps! I am having short runs of..." + (show)

I will try to answer all your questions. But first, can you attach and send pictures of BPM graphs of several of your SVT episodes? Thanks.
(Don't send ECG)

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