England, January 24: It goes without saying that the Apple Watch is a fantastic health monitor, and for several users, it has actually saved their lives. Recently, an elderly woman fell quite unwell while on a flight, and the Apple Watch saved her life. According to the BBC, 43-year-old British physician Rashid Riaz of Hereford County Hospital in England used an Apple Watch belonging to a flight attendant to save the life of a sick passenger.

On January 9, a woman in her 70s had dyspnea while travelling from Birmingham, England to Verona, Italy via Ryanair. Then, when a crew member asked whether there was a doctor on board, Dr Rashid Riaz came forward to help the woman. AIIMS Delhi Doctors Come to Rescue of Child Who Stopped Breathing on Vistara Plane, Save Her Life by Performing Emergency Procedures Mid-Flight (See Pics).

The woman, whose name is being kept anonymous, initially refused to respond to Dr Rashid Riaz's inquiries. But in order to check her blood oxygen levels, the doctor requested the flight attendant for her Apple Watch after learning that the woman had a history of cardiac issues. Dr Riaz told the BBC, "I discovered the patient had low oxygen saturation thanks to the Apple Watch." Dr Rashid Riaz used the Blood Oxygen app for the watch, which is meant for 'general fitness and wellness purposes', according to Apple's website.  Despite the app's website stating that it is 'not intended for medical use', in this specific case it proved helpful. Medical Emergency in Flight: Bengaluru Doctor Averts Mid-Air Crises, Helps Lady Having Seizure on Delhi-Toronto Flight, Air India Responds. 

Upon requesting an oxygen cylinder from the Ryanair crew, Dr Rashid Riaz managed to regulate the woman's oxygen saturation until their arrival in Italy. After landing, the woman received more medical treatment and recovered swiftly. Dr Riaz said that planes should be fitted with sensors to detect diabetic situations and evaluate vital indicators like blood pressure and oxygen saturation, even though he praised the airline for how it handled the case.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2024 06:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).