Smartwatch saves UK CEO's life after he suffers from heart attack

Paul Wapham, the CEO of Hockey Wales, was on his regular morning run in the Morriston area of Swansea, UK, when he felt an excruciating pain in the chest. The next moment, the 42-year-old fell on his hands and knees on the road. However, he managed to call his wife, Laura, using his smartwatch. Fortunately, Laura was only five minutes away from Paul. She reached him and then drove him to the hospital, as per media reports.

At the hospital, Paul was informed that he suffered a heart attack due to a total blockage in his arteries, the Wales Online said.

He was quickly taken to the catheterisation laboratory at Morriston Hospital’s Cardiac Centre where he underwent an emergency angioplasty and had a stent fitted. The doctors told Paul that he also has pulmonary oedema, a condition in which the lungs get filled with fluid, the report added.

Paul said that his heart attack and pulmonary oedema came as a shock for him because he maintains a healthy lifestyle. “It was a bit of a shock as I’m not overweight and I try to keep myself fit so I had no risk factors. It was a shock for everybody really, including my family,” he was quoted as saying.

This was not the first time a smartwatch helped save someone’s life. In March this year, a UAE national was alerted about his deteriorating health by an Apple smartwatch.

Nedhal Mohammed Al Rahma told Khaleej Times that he was at a get-together with his friends and family when his smartwatch suddenly started beeping incessantly. He initially ignored these health alerts because he was not experiencing physical discomfort. However, the constant alerts that did not stop for a few days prompted him to see a doctor and take medical tests.

• The risk of putting too much trust in wearable health devices