A new feature that is expected to be included in Samsung smart watches released later this year could help detect irregular heartbeats.
Samsung announced Monday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had given clearance for the “Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) feature,” for its upcoming One UI 5 Watch.
Last week, the company unveiled the One UI 5. Along with an existing on-demand Electrocardiogram (ECG) function, the “IHRN feature proactively monitors heart rhythms suggestive of atrial fibrillation (AFib), right from their wrist,” said a press release from the company.
According to the Mayo Clinic, atrial fibrillation “is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots in the heart.” It also increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.
“We’re excited to announce that Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification, designed to help millions of people around the world who may not be aware of a potential heart risk, has been cleared by the FDA,” said Vice President and Head of the Digital Health Team Hon Pak for MX Business at Samsung Electronics. “This is yet another example of how Samsung prioritizes proactive safety solutions and enables users to receive a more holistic understanding of their cardiovascular and overall health.”
Samsung also noted that “cardiovascular disease remains one of the world’s leading causes of death,” and that AFib is considered a warning sign for cardiovascular issues that can increase the risk of having a stroke and other complications. In the U.S., heart disease is the leading cause of death and strokes are the fifth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Some of AFib cases are asymptomatic or even silent, leaving people unaware of their risk,” said Samsung.
When the feature is available, users will be able to activate it in the Samsung Health Monitor app. It will check for irregular heart rhythms in the background via Galaxy Watch’s BioActive Sensor, Samsung explained.
“If a certain number of consecutive measurements are irregular, Galaxy Watch warns the user of potential AFib activity, prompting them to take an ECG using their watch for a more accurate measurement,” said the company. “The Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature will be available as part of the newly announced One UI 5 Watch, coming first to the upcoming Galaxy Watch devices later this year, and later expanding to previous editions.”
Currently, Galaxy Watch5 models are sold from around $220 to $420.
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