Samsung announced that Galaxy Watch 3 and Watch Active 2 have gained ECG and blood pressure monitoring in 31 more countries. Users can take advantage of these health monitoring features through Samsung’s Health Monitor app.
Samsung said its Health Monitor app received the CE mark last month, allowing the service to expand to 28 European countries, where users can take advantage of blood pressure and electrocardiogram monitoring. Receiving the marking indicates that a product complies with EU health, safety and environmental requirements.
The new countries include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Samsung said the Health Monitor app is also being launched in Chile, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.
Previously, Samsung made ECG monitoring available on Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 2 in the United States after receiving FDA authorization. The function of the electrocardiogram can detect atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is often the cause of cardiac complications, including blood clots, failure and stroke. Samsung said the function works by analyzing the electrical activity of the heart using a sensor on its watches. Once the measurement is made, the Health Monitor application will classify the results as Sinus Rhythm (normal) or AFib, which is when the heart beats irregularly.
Meanwhile, monitoring blood pressure and heart health is critical because high blood pressure is linked to brain, kidney and heart disease. If left untreated, it can cause stroke and coronary heart disease. Blood pressure monitoring was already available in South Korea.
The use of these features can provide users with a clearer picture of their overall health. Samsung said the Health Monitor app update will be available in these countries on Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 2 from February 4.
If you have a non-Samsung phone, you can actually use ECG monitoring on Galaxy Watch 3 and Watch Active 2 with some adjustments. It is also quite easy to enable blood pressure monitoring on Watch Active 2 using this guide.