So often, we hear about the negative impacts that modern technology can have on our society. But every so often, we are reminded about all of the good things that technology can do. One man experienced that firsthand. California resident Raul Martin is alive today thanks in large part to his smartwatch.
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Man Credits Smartwatch For Alerting Him to Medical Emergency
In a media release obtained by PEOPLE, Martin credits his smartwatch technology for alerting him to a medical emergency. Martin, who maintains a relatively healthy lifestyle, says that one day he was working out at his health club. When he noticed that he had a resting heart rate of 200. Immediately, he knew that something was off and alerted one of the gym employees to call an EMT to get him to the nearest emergency room.
That visit to the hospital was when Martin learned that he needed to have coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). A procedure that is used to improve blood flow to the heart when an artery is blocked.
Open heart surgery is a major procedure. However, the El Camino Health Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI) had introduced Martin to an alternative. A "minimally invasive robotic bypass procedure" that significantly decreased the recovery time for patients.
"The thought of open heart surgery was, frankly, scary, but this minimally invasive is almost like, 'Hey, I could come out of this in much better shape [than I was before],' " Martin said (via PEOPLE).
Thankfully, the procedure was a success. And Martin says that he has "never felt better" after the surgery. He also says that many of the people around the hospital were mesmerized by his recovery.
"I've never felt better after surgery than after this surgery. I'd walk for an hour on the [hospital] floor, and it was kind of funny because nobody could believe it," Martin said. "I feel it puts me on a trajectory to be healthy from a cardiovascular point of view probably for the rest of my life."
