Joseph Holycross, a 39-year-old father of four, used the ECG feature on his Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic to check his heart after his wife, Jamie, noticed he was breathing strangely. The device returned an alert for atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats in an irregular rhythm. Holycross initially dismissed the result as a malfunction but repeated the test several times. His wife insisted they go to the emergency room for a professional evaluation.
Holycross had experienced elevated heart rates for roughly a year and a half to two years prior to the incident. He attributed the symptoms to caffeine consumption and exhaustion from working long hours. However, Jamie, a respiratory therapist by profession, recognized the change in his breathing pattern. She urged him to use the watch's ECG feature, which he had tried only once before to test its capabilities.
The watch recorded his heart's electrical activity for about 30 seconds. The result displayed in bold letters: atrial fibrillation. Holycross denied the finding, believing the older model of the watch might be faulty. He ran the ECG again multiple times with the same result. Jamie insisted on seeking immediate medical attention, stating they needed an actual EKG to confirm the watch's reading.
At the hospital, a doctor reviewed the tracing sent from Holycross's phone and confirmed he was in AFib. Jamie noted that the watch's rhythm closely resembled what the hospital equipment showed. Holycross remained in the hospital for about a week while doctors assessed his condition. Approximately 10 days later, he underwent open-heart surgery to repair several issues found in his heart.
Jamie stated that doctors warned her husband could have suffered a stroke or heart attack had he continued to attribute his symptoms to lifestyle factors. One doctor told the couple that without medical intervention, Holycross likely would not have lived to age 45. The diagnosis also raised concerns about genetic factors. Doctors indicated that some of Holycross's heart problems may have been present since birth and could affect other family members. His siblings have been encouraged to undergo screening, and his children will need similar checks when they reach adulthood.
Samsung states that its ECG feature records electrical activity using a compatible Galaxy Watch and can return results including sinus rhythm, atrial fibrillation, high heart rate, or inconclusive readings. The company advises users who receive an AFib result to contact a doctor for guidance. Samsung emphasizes that the feature does not replace traditional diagnosis or treatment and that users should not take clinical action based solely on the device's output without consulting a healthcare professional.
Since his surgery, Holycross has used the watch to track his recovery and monitor his heart rhythm for reassurance. He describes the device as a source of peace of mind that helps him avoid unnecessary worry about recurring symptoms. Jamie encourages others to learn how to use health features on their smartwatches rather than relying only on step counts or notifications. She views the technology as a tool that can prompt individuals to seek professional medical opinions when symptoms arise.