Andrew Kohlenberg is looking forward to running his first marathon in Vancouver in May.
For two decades, the 37-year-old father and husband has dealt with an irregular heart rhythm that was difficult to diagnose.
The avid runner tried stress tests and EKGs to no avail because of sporadic symptoms.
"I'd have to stop and wait for it to come back to normal," said Kohlenberg.
His life changed after meeting Dr. Jeremiah Wasserlauf, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Endeavor Health.
Using results from wearable technology, Dr. Wasserlauf was able to diagnose Kohlenberg with Supraventricular tachycardia, a heart rhythm disorder that causes a very fast or erratic heartbeat.
"It's something that affects young, healthy people who have healthy hearts," said Dr. Wasserlauf. "It can cause heart racing and lightheadedness. It's really a difficult way to live."
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After wearing the credit card-sized mobile EKG for just a week, Kohlenberg was able to capture an arrhythmia and send the results right from his phone to Dr. Wasserlauf. He was in the hospital for surgery within a few weeks.
"We made a detailed map of his heart and electrical circuits, and we were able to localize this extra wire he was born with and treat it with what we call ablation or cauterize it. That's curative for this condition," said Dr. Wasserlauf.
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Dr. Wasserlauf calls mobile health devices a "revolution" that bridges the gap in traditional approaches to treating conditions with sporadic symptoms, putting the patient in control of their own data.
"It's been very frustrating to have to deal with it, live with it for the last 20 years," said Kohlenberg. "Very validating and a relief in my life."
February is American Heart Month, an effort to promote heart health across the country.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. but can often be prevented, according to the National Institutes of Health. Experts say adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle, including getting enough quality sleep, eating better and becoming more active, can help reduce the risk of heart disease and its risk factors.
