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

Posted by opiestrer @opiestrer, Apr 6, 2024

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.

Profile picture for opiestrer @opiestrer

PSVT again today. I average about 5 times per month.

I have bragged here and other topics here about how I can stop my SVT by doing the Valsalva maneuver very quickly. But today I couldn’t stop it quickly and it went on for way over 10 minutes.

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I downloaded this app on your recommendation and really love it. Thank you!

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Profile picture for opiestrer @opiestrer

Aseneth,

Glad you asked.
I did the holter thing also.
What you want to hear from your primary doctor and cardiologist is the word “benign.”
If you don’t get that word, like I did, then my experience will not align with your symptoms.

The cardiologist will offer pills or surgery if you have PSVT and your condition is not “benign.”

The cardiologist will also offer pills or surgery if the racing heart is PSVT and “benign” because that is what cardiologists do in trying to make you comfortable.

In my case, I can stop my racing heart in short order by well practiced valsalva manuever. SVT occurred twice last night, but no big deal in my case.

In all cases, use good judgment and get lots of opinions!

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@opiestrer I just got results from the Holter monitor yesterday and hope to see a different cardiologist (than the one who ordered the test) who specializes in electrical matters next week. Again, you calm voice and very effective maneuvers have helped so much. Thanks again.

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Profile picture for aseneth @aseneth

@opiestrer I just got results from the Holter monitor yesterday and hope to see a different cardiologist (than the one who ordered the test) who specializes in electrical matters next week. Again, you calm voice and very effective maneuvers have helped so much. Thanks again.

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Let us know what you hear.

I had 63 SVT episodes logged in the past 10 months. I shared the log with my doc.

I have not a care in the world about it.

If my doctors and I change our opinion I will report it. My 77th birthday is next month.

Good luck.

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Because of the title of this topic, I will put my question here (I have other posts related to SVT, but my question today is only about Apple Watch.)

My research shows that the Apple Watch is NOT satisfactory for high heart rate alarms as stated by everyone that has written in many various forums. Am I wrong?
The standard complaint is that you have to have the high heart rate for 10 minutes. Plus you must be inactive for the alarm to occur therefore no alarm is possible during any exercise during the day, even walking around the house!
So, I am forced to use a third party app to give me my "anytime" alarm set at any value I wish at any time or location or activity I wish. Plus my app must alarm within 30 seconds! Not 10 minutes!
Question: Has anyone overcome the Apple watch app high heart rate alarm deficiencies?

REPLY
Profile picture for opiestrer @opiestrer

Because of the title of this topic, I will put my question here (I have other posts related to SVT, but my question today is only about Apple Watch.)

My research shows that the Apple Watch is NOT satisfactory for high heart rate alarms as stated by everyone that has written in many various forums. Am I wrong?
The standard complaint is that you have to have the high heart rate for 10 minutes. Plus you must be inactive for the alarm to occur therefore no alarm is possible during any exercise during the day, even walking around the house!
So, I am forced to use a third party app to give me my "anytime" alarm set at any value I wish at any time or location or activity I wish. Plus my app must alarm within 30 seconds! Not 10 minutes!
Question: Has anyone overcome the Apple watch app high heart rate alarm deficiencies?

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Please ignore my comment above asking about the Apple watch heart rate app. I get too wrapped up in apps sometimes. I already have the 3rd party iPhone/watch app for high bpm that I like to use, so why worry about Apple's bpm app?

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