Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Has FDA-Approved Tech To Monitor Active Stroke And Other Heart Risks

Samsung has confirmed that its upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch6 has medical-grade monitoring technology to spot problems with the wearer's heart. The premium smartwatch from Samsung will be able to track abnormal heart rhythms and notify users if required.

Samsung has received approval from the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for its Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) feature. This is a significant milestone for the company and a great development for the smart wearable industry.

Samsung Wear OS Skin Gets IHRN Feature For ECG To Track Abnormal Heart Rhythms

Ever since the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 series, Samsung has been actively adding a lot of health-related sensors. However, the company is gradually adding or unlocking functions that use these sensors.

The latest feature to debut soon is the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification or IHRN. As the name indicates, the feature will help wearers of the Samsung smartwatch to track their heart rhythms and check for any abnormalities.

The IHRN feature will proactively monitor heart rhythms to spot suggestive signs or indicators of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib). AFib is a type of arrhythmia or simply put, abnormal fluttering or beating of the heart.

Arrhythmia is usually considered an early warning sign for any impending major cardiovascular issues. If unchecked or left unaddressed, this can significantly increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other complications.

Some AFib cases are asymptomatic. In other words, sufferers may not even feel any strong indicators such as pain or discomfort. This means that AFib could be silent. If so, patients may have it and be unaware of the risks.

How To Use The IHRN Feature To Spot Heart Risks?

The upcoming IHRN feature will be added to the Samsung Health Monitor app. The feature will need to be manually activated.

Once activated, the IHRN feature will routinely check for irregular heart rhythms in the background. It will take several measurements without user intervention.

If The IHRN feature will detect a certain number of consecutive measurements as irregular, the watch will warn the wearer of potential AFib activity. The upcoming feature will prompt the wearer to take an ECG for a more accurate measurement.

The IHRN feature will be a part of the One UI 5 Watch, which is Samsung's own wear OS skin that will be running on the Galaxy Watch6 series. One UI 5 Watch is expected to be sent over as an OTA update to the Galaxy Watch5 series and the Galaxy Watch4 series smartwatches.

Samsung announced that the IHRN feature has been cleared by the US FDA. This suggests the company may start promoting its Samsung Galaxy Watch6 series smartwatches as medical-grade health accessories.