How Marcie Discovered Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) from her Apple Watch ECG

For years, Marcie thought her flutters in the chest were just a result of anxiety. Little did she know that they could have been a sign of something more serious such as SVT or supraventricular tachycardia. 15 years ago, when she first started experiencing flutters in her chest, she went to the ER and was told it was just a panic attack. Marcie was told she needed to follow up with a psychiatrist.

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‍"For the past 15 years, I've tried all kinds of medication, some of it with really, really bad side effects," said Marcie. Medications with bad side effects can sometimes do more harm than good. Not willing to accept the fact that she would need to continue experimenting with medications, Marcie remained persistent and continued to seek relief.

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"Two years ago, I went to a cardiologist, and he had me wear a Holter monitor for two weeks," Marcie said. After two weeks of wearing the Holter monitor, Marcie was told by the cardiologist that it was "just a little arrhythmia." "He wanted to put me on Beta-blockers, so I did that," Marcie said.

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However, Marcie didn't stop there because she still believed there was something more going on. Marcie said, "Eight months ago, I went to a different cardiologist who suggested I wear a Holter monitor for a month." After wearing the Holter monitor for a month, the cardiologist assured Marcie that he did not see any arrhythmia and told her she was fine. Marcie was advised by the cardiologist to discontinue the Beta-blockers.

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It wasn't until the day that Marcie discovered the QALY app while on Facebook that she realized her flutters were not anxiety after all. Marcie said, "I sent one of my Apple Watch ECGs and wasn't expecting anything back. I figured it'd be normal like everything else." Not only did she get a response, but she received a response she was not expecting. 

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Discovering Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)

Marcie was really surprised when the reading from the QALY app uncovered that the heart flutters in her chest that felt like a fish flopping around were not due to anxiety but SVT. SVT is an irregularly fast heartbeat. It affects the heart's electrical system, which causes the heart to beat too fast. SVT can cause symptoms like a fluttering feeling in your chest, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

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Sensing that she may finally get the relief she had been after for 15 years, Marcie took the results she received from the QALY app to her cardiologist. After speaking with her cardiologist, Marcie was told that she should get an ablation. An ablation is a procedure to remove a layer of tissue in the heart that is causing an abnormal heart rhythm. 

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Marcie was relieved to finally receive answers and a plan to treat her condition. "For 15 years, I lived my life thinking I had an anxiety disorder. Anytime I would get sick, it was always, it's just your anxiety," Marcie said. No one likes to be labeled. When we label someone with a mental illness, like anxiety, it can further the stigma around mental illness.

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Marcie's story is a perfect example of how someone can be labeled with something they don't have. "I'd been labeled, which is a horrible feeling. I'm sure a lot of people looking at this app will feel the same way," Marcie said. For 15 years, Marcie had been labeled as someone with anxiety when in reality, she was suffering from a heart condition.

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"If it wasn't for this app, I would still believe that I had an anxiety disorder. I am beyond thankful that I came across this on Facebook. Thank you so much," Marcie said. 

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About QALY

Marcie is an example of how our app users utilize the QALY app to keep track of their heart health. The QALY app allows users to send their smartwatch ECG (from Apple Watch, Samsung Watch, etc.) to cardiographic technicians for review. The QALY app is available for download in App Store and Play Store.