A story from Brazil has garnered attention where a person was able to detect a health anomaly and receive emergency surgery, potentially saving their life, with the help of a Samsung smart device.
According to Samsung Electronics’ Latin America General Office and the Mexican tech industry, on the 5th local time, during a gym workout in June, Roberto Gallart, a manager of a marine environment and logistics company living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, reported experiencing sharp chest pain.
After finishing his exercise routine, Gallart used the health care function on his Galaxy Watch 6, which he usually wore, to measure his electrocardiogram (ECG). Unlike usual, for the first time, it indicated an irregular rhythm.
After four repeated tests still showed abnormal signals, Gallart immediately went to the hospital, where he was informed by medical staff that “one coronary artery was completely blocked and two others were nearly blocked. He was on the brink of a heart attack and could die at any moment.”
After undergoing four coronary artery bypass surgeries and recovering, Gallart sent an email to Samsung, expressing gratitude by stating, “I’m convinced that the Galaxy Watch played a decisive role in saving my life.”
He also remarked, “I believe my case reflects the real possibility of life-saving in Samsung’s digital health sector, and I am officially informing you of my situation,” expressing willingness to contribute to ongoing or planned research in related fields.
Samsung explained that if the Galaxy Watch continuously detects irregular heartbeats, it warns users of abnormal signs such as the possibility of atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia disease where the atria do not contract and relax normally, causing chest discomfort, dizziness, and shortness of breath as the heart rhythm breaks.
Due to irregular blood flow, there is a high risk of complications such as thrombosis (blood clots), stroke, heart failure, and dementia.
Gallart’s treatment process was covered by major Brazilian media, such as SBT, indicating local media interest.
In an interview with SBT, Gallart’s surgeon explained, “A smartwatch cannot capture precise heart information or replace a medical diagnosis,” but noted that “it can be of great help in monitoring heart rate and guiding patients to the hospital when symptoms arise.”
In Mexico, the case of ‘charlypi,’ a well-known influencer for electronics reviews, once caught the industry’s attention.
Charlypi reportedly identified sleep apnea symptoms from sleep data collected via a Galaxy Watch and received treatment at a hospital.
He expressed his thoughts by saying, “It literally changed my life,” adding, “Now I am healthier and grateful that we have technology that cares for us in ways we couldn’t imagine before,” as reported by Samsung Electronics Mexico.