Samsung’s Galaxy Watch will soon be able to alert wearers to irregular heart rhythms with FDA approval

Samsung has announced that its Health Monitor app’s irregular heart rhythm notification (IHGN) feature for Galaxy Watch devices has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The IHGN feature, along with the wearable’s electrocardiogram (ECG) capabilities, can help to detect signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a type of arrhythmia. AFib is considered to be an early warning sign for significant cardiovascular problems that may result in a higher risk of stroke, heart failure, and other complications. Some individuals with AFib may not experience any symptoms.

After the wearer enables the function in the Samsung Health Monitor app, the BioActive Sensor in the Galaxy Watch will run in the background to detect irregular heart rhythms. If the sensor detects consecutive irregular measurements, the watch will notify the user of possible AFib activity and recommend an ECG reading for a more precise measurement. If the reading shows signs of AFib, the watch will advise the wearer to seek medical advice. Since 2019, every Apple Watch model, except the original one, has included an IHGN feature in some markets. The availability of Samsung’s IHGN feature will vary depending on the market, carrier, model, and paired smartphone.

The One UI 5 Watch update from Samsung will incorporate the IHGN feature, initially debuting on the forthcoming range of Galaxy Watch devices slated to release later this year. Owners of Galaxy Watch 4 models and later editions will be able to access the feature in due course. The One UI 5 Watch update will also introduce fresh sleep monitoring functions and a tailored heart rate zone feature designed for workouts.

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