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Apple Watch sells more than all Swiss watch brands 0:55
(CNN Business) - Apple partnered with Johnson & Johnson to reduce the risk of strokes in older people.
J&J and Apple announced Tuesday that U.S. citizens over 65 (with a traditional Medicare plan) will be eligible to participate in clinical research through the Heartline Study app on iPhones. They will also have access to heart health features on Apple Watch models. Patients must also agree to provide access to their Medicare claim data.
“Heartline could become a historical clinical trial. We are bringing incredible digital applications of technology and commitment to medical care to patients and doctors, ”said Dr. Paul Burton, vice president of medical affairs for the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies unit at J&J. to CNN Business.
The study is designed to detect atrial fibrillation or AFib, an irregular heart rhythm that is one of the leading causes of stroke.
“Atrial fibrillation can potentially cause more strokes in people over 65. Cases are more common, ”Burton said. "And people fear both having a stroke and dying."
Burton said that enrollment for the study is now open and that patients will be studied for at least two years. Participants must already have an iPhone 6s or a later model. He added that one group of patients will be tracked only on their phones and another group will receive an Apple Watch that will feature an ECG application and an irregular rhythm notification function.
The J&J-Apple announcement is the latest in a partnership between the two companies. They first announced plans to work together in an AFib screening study in January 2019.
Apple has been promoting the Apple Watch as a device that can help people keep track of vital medical information, especially their heart rate.
"The Heartline study will help us better understand how our technology could contribute to science and help improve health outcomes, including reducing the risk of stroke," Myoung Cha, chief of Apple's strategic health initiatives, said in a statement. .
strokeAppleApple Watch