Samsung Electronics announced on Sunday that South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety cleared the Electrocardiogram (ECG) function of the Samsung Health Monitor app on its Galaxy Watch Active 2.
As the digital healthcare business grows, Samsung hopes that the new health-tracking app would pave the way for the company to advance in the market.
The ECG function utilizes the advanced sensor technology of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 to analyze the heart’s electrical signals. This allows users to measure and display their heart rhythm. The updated feature would look for irregularities with the heart’s rhythm and tell if the user could potentially have Atrial Fibrillation (AFib).
Last April, the drug ministry also approved Samsung’s blood pressure monitoring app.
AFib is a type of arrhythmia that causes fast and irregular heartbeats. However, most patients do not notice the disease because they have no symptoms. The condition increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and thrombosis.
To use the ECG function, first, make sure that the watch fits firmly on the wrist. Next, rest the arm with the smartwatch on a flat surface then place the fingertip of the opposite hand on the top button located on the smartwatch for around 30 seconds. The function would then measure the heart rhythm and rate and display whether the user has regular or irregular heartbeats.
To Live Healthier Lives
“This marks just one way in which Samsung is pioneering to give everyone a simple, convenient, and informed picture of their overall health and wellness.”
– TaeJong Jay Yang, Samsung’s Corporate SVP and Head of Health Team, Mobile Communications Business
According to Samsung, the updated function on the Galaxy Watch Active 2 would be available within the third quarter. The company added that upcoming smartwatches would also feature the ECG monitoring function.
Samsung said that the recording from the ECG function would provide an understanding of a user’s health and condition. Users could easily share results with their doctors to help them create informed decisions and live healthier lives.
