Samsung Galaxy Watch Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification Feature Receives FDA Clearance

Samsung Electronics has just received regulatory approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) feature, implying that the feature now fulfills precise safety and effectiveness requirements for consumer use.

Besides, the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature will be incorporated in the recently debuted One UI 5 Watch. This feature will furthermore be launched preferably on the future Galaxy Watch models later this year, and afterward, it will be incorporated into the earlier versions of the watch.

Moreover, users of Galaxy Watch 4 and 5 who enroll in the One UI 5 Watch beta are anticipated to have access to this new feature. Nonetheless, it is necessary to note that electrocardiogram (ECG) readings are currently exclusively available to users who have paired their Galaxy Watch with a Galaxy phone, confining the feature’s functionality for a considerable number of users.

Also, Hon Pak, who is the VP and Head of the Digital Health Team for Samsung Electronics expressed his excitement regarding the FDA clearance of the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature on the Samsung Health Monitor app. The feature is designed to assist people around the world who may not be cognizant that they have a conceivable heart risk, by proactively monitoring their heart rhythms for indications of atrial fibrillation (AFib).

Hon Pak explains that Samsung prioritizes proactive safety solutions, and this feature is a prime instance of that commitment. He additionally said that by providing users with a more holistic insight into their cardiovascular and general health, Samsung is encouraging people to take control of their health and potentially detect any heart issues early on.

Samsung enhances heart health monitoring capabilities of Galaxy Watch

To allow users better apprehend their heart health, Samsung has rigged the Galaxy Watch with various tools that utilize the Samsung BioActive Sensor. These tools include an on-demand electrocardiogram (ECG) recording function and an HR Alert feature that can catch unusually high or low heart rates.

The new IHRN feature integrated into the Galaxy Watch permits users to monitor another aspect of their heart health proactively. By equipping these tools, Samsung aspires to authorize users to monitor their health and potentially detect any heart issues prematurely, letting them pursue medical attention if required as some people with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) may not encounter any signs, which can leave them clueless of their risk.

When enabled, the Galaxy Watch will continuously monitor heart rate rhythms in the background and only notify users right after a set number of consecutive irregular measurements. Further, upon notification, users will be prompted to take an electrocardiogram (EKG) recording. Furthermore, the function of the Galaxy Watch’s irregular heart rate monitoring feature is similar to Fitbit’s passive AFib monitoring feature, which was introduced in 2022. Nonetheless, it differs from the EKG spot-checks introduced by Apple with their Series 4 watch.

Lastly, Samsung strives to position its Galaxy Watch devices as comprehensive health tools, and the new Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature aligns well with this objective. However, it is quite evident that Samsung is nonetheless striving to catch up with other smartwatch makers in terms of health monitoring features.

The One UI 5 Watch updates, including personalized heart rate zones and improved emergency SOS, demonstrate Samsung’s effort to bridge the gap with other smartwatch makers. The introduction of the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature is no exception. As previously noted, Fitbit launched a comparable feature in 2020. Apple also introduced an FDA-cleared AFib History feature with watchOS 9, which allows people with irregular heart rate rhythms to monitor the amount of time they spend in AFib. Therefore, Samsung is still catching up with its competitors in this area.