When Well being Devices Turn into Harmful

The sudden demise of Kannada actor Dileep Raj at 47 has reignited considerations over the rising dependence on smartwatches and wearable well being gadgets throughout medical emergencies.

Reports recommend the actor skilled chest ache however delayed speedy medical consideration after checking his smartwatch readings — as soon as once more elevating questions over whether or not well being devices are making a false sense of reassurance.

Doctors say wearable know-how has reworked preventive healthcare, however counting on devices throughout emergencies can show harmful. “Wearables are supportive tools, not diagnostic devices and definitely not substitutes for emergency medical care,” says Dr Ok. Saketh, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Medicover hospitals.

According to him, a smartwatch should still present a “normal” coronary heart charge throughout a coronary heart assault, whereas pulse oximeters or BP displays could miss evolving cardiac or neurological emergencies. “These devices measure limited parameters. They cannot detect blocked arteries, evolving ECG changes, strokes or internal organ damage,” he explains.

Doctors say wearable gadgets are designed for monitoring tendencies, not diagnosing medical emergencies.

Symptoms matter greater than numbers

Doctors stress that warning indicators ought to by no means be ignored just because a gadget seems reassuring. Chest ache, heaviness within the chest, ache radiating to the jaw or left arm, sudden breathlessness, sweating, fainting, facial drooping, slurred speech, confusion or sudden weak spot require speedy medical analysis. “The biggest danger today is false reassurance,” says Dr Saketh. “People see a normal reading and assume nothing serious is happening. In emergencies like heart attack or stroke, every minute matters.”

Dr Sowjanya Shree Patibandla, chief emergency doctor, Apollo Hospitals says emergency rooms are more and more seeing sufferers arrive late as a result of they trusted smartwatch readings over signs. “Some ignored chest pain or breathlessness because their watch showed normal vitals. Others panic over false alerts and rush unnecessarily to hospitals. Smartwatches should only be treated as screening tools,” she says.

Emergency rooms are additionally seeing individuals panic over inaccurate gadget alerts, resulting in pointless hospital visits and nervousness, she provides.

Why client well being devices can mislead

Doctors level out that almost all wearable gadgets are client grade merchandise and never hospital stage diagnostic instruments. Smartwatch ECG options can not change hospital ECGs, cardiac enzyme assessments or medical examination.

l Motion or sweating

l Poor sensor contact

l Incorrect placement

l Low battery

l Device calibration points

l Skin tone variations

l User interpretation

Dr Hemanth Kaukuntla, coronary heart and lung transplant surgeon, Renova Century Hospital, says well being devices solely present tendencies and can’t change correct medical evaluation. “These devices are useful as warning signals, but they don’t show the complete picture. If someone has chest pain, breathlessness or palpitations, they should seek medical attention immediately instead of relying on one reading,” he says.

Smartwatches & health bands

l Helpful for: Heart charge tendencies, exercise monitoring, rhythm alerts

l Cannot detect: Heart assaults, blocked arteries, evolving strokes

Pulse Oximeters

l Helpful for: Oxygen saturation tendencies

l Limitation: Oxygen ranges could stay regular throughout early cardiac emergencies

BP Monitors

l Helpful for: Tracking hypertension

l Limitation: Normal BP doesn’t rule out stroke or cardiac points

Glucose Trackers

l Helpful for: Monitoring sugar fluctuations

l Limitation: Cannot assess general emergency situation

WARNING SIGNS NEVER TO IGNORE

l Chest ache or heaviness

l Sudden breathlessness

l Fainting or extreme dizziness

l Facial drooping

l Slurred speech

l Sudden weak spot on one facet

l Severe sweating

l Confusion or seizures

Growing danger of self analysis

Another rising concern is extreme self analysis by way of apps and well being trackers. Doctors warn that over dependence on devices could both create panic over innocent fluctuations or delay remedy throughout real emergencies. “The goal should be medical awareness, not medical dependence. Technology can alert us, but it cannot replace clinical judgement,” says Dr Saketh.

For medical doctors, the message is easy: in an emergency, signs override smartwatch readings — and well timed medical care issues greater than any gadget.

‘Code PULSE’

For Cardiac Emergencies Apollo has launched “Code PULSE”, a sophisticated emergency response protocol for extreme cardiac arrest instances the place commonplace CPR fails. The system makes use of ECMO help to briefly take over coronary heart and lung operate, whereas a specialised emergency group performs speedy life saving intervention. The protocol additionally integrates mechanical CPR, bedside ultrasound and emergency cardiac procedures to enhance survival probabilities in vital instances.

“Some patients ignore chest pain or breathlessness because their smartwatch shows normal readings. Smartwatches should only be treated as screening tools.”

— Dr Sowjanya Shree Patibandla

“These devices are useful as warning signals, but they do not show the complete clinical picture. If someone has chest pain or breathlessness, they should seek medical attention immediately instead of relying on one gadget reading.”

— Dr Hemanth Kaukuntla

“Wearables are supportive tools, not diagnostic devices and definitely not substitutes for emergency medical care. Symptoms override readings. In emergencies like heart attack or stroke, every minute matters.”

— Dr Ok. Saketh