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Alexa could potentially save your life during a heart attack, researchers say

According to the CDC, someone suffers a heart attack every 40 seconds in the U.S. and more than 700,000 people have them annually.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When people have heart attacks, there are a few common signs, such as sharp pain in your chest, shortness of breath or even heartburn. 

What if your smart in-home technology could pick up on your symptoms and notify first responders if you experience a medical emergency? Researchers at the University of Washington say it's possible

They're currently developing a tool that will work with smart speakers, like Amazon's Alexa, that could recognize if you're having a heart attack. The say the speakers will listen for sounds associated with heart attacks, like gasping for breath, and alert authorities if you can't or don't respond. 

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According to the CDC, someone suffers a heart attack every 40 seconds in the U.S. and more than 700,000 people have them annually. Researchers discovered that about half of people who call 911 during a heart attack make a similar gasping sound. 

Researchers say the smart speakers detect that agonal breathing 97% of the time from up to 18 feet away, but further testing is needed to avoid unnecessary false alarms. 

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