Tech giant Samsung Electronics announced that it has received FDA clearance for its Health Monitor app’s IHRN (Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification) feature.
IHRN works with the app’s electrocardiogram feature to monitor heart rhythms indicative of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. When atrial fibrillation is detected, the Galaxy Watch prompts the user to take an EKG with the watch.
The feature will be available as part of the The One UI 5 Watch was recently announced and is set to be released later this year.
“This is another example of Samsung prioritizing proactive security solutions and enabling users to gain a more holistic understanding of their cardiovascular and overall health,” said Hon Pak, vice president and head of the Digital Health Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics in an opinion.
THE BIGGER TREND
Samsung’s latest One UI 5 watch offers three new sleep-related features, as well as a personalized heart rate zone that analyzes a user’s physical abilities and sets optimal exercise intensity levels. Updated SOS and fall detection features were also announced.
The Google-owned Fitbit also offers AFib capabilities. Last year, it received FDA clearance for a photoplethysmography AFib detection algorithm that runs passively on Fitbit wearables and assesses the heart’s rhythm when a person is asleep or stationary.
In September, Apple introduced the latest versions of its watch wearables, which have temperature sensor capabilities for tracking ovulation and detecting car accidents. Months earlier, watchOS 9 and iOS16 previewed new health features, including atrial fibrillation history, medication management, and other sleep monitoring tools.
