Samsung rolls out cuff-less BP monitor feature to Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 in South Korea

We wrote in April that Samsung had beaten Apple to the punch by certifying their Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 and Samsung Health Monitor app as a Medical Device (SaMD), making it a government-cleared, over-the-counter and cuffless blood pressure monitoring application.

Now the company has started rolling out the feature to Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 users in South Korea as part of the Health Monitor app, which has been cleared by South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).  The app can track your BP over weeks and share them with your health professional.

TaeJong Jay Yang, Corporate SVP and Head of Health Team, Samsung Electronics, said, “The launch of the Samsung Health Monitor app demonstrates Samsung’s dedication to providing accessible and convenient healthcare for all by integrating advanced hardware and best-in-class software technology. We’re delighted that Galaxy Watch Active2 users in Korea can now access the new app and receive insights to help them manage their health. We look forward to expanding the app to all future Galaxy Watch products.”

Globally, high blood pressure is known to significantly increase your risk of brain, kidney and heart diseases, including stroke and coronary heart disease when not managed properly. By helping users measure and track their blood pressure, the Samsung Health Monitor app gives people greater insight into their health and allows them to make more informed decisions, to lead healthier lives.

The feature works by calibrating the watch’s sensors against two readings taken with a traditional BP monitor and Galaxy Watch Active 2 users need to calibrate their smartwatch with a blood pressure monitoring cuff every four weeks to ensure accurate readings.

Once your Galaxy Watch Active2 device has been calibrated with a traditional cuff, you can simply tap to “Measure” your blood pressure anytime, anywhere. The device measures blood pressure through pulse wave analysis, which is tracked with the Heart Rate Monitoring sensors. The program then analyzes the relationship between the calibration value and the blood pressure change to determine the blood pressure.

“The Samsung Health Monitor app has the potential to help millions of people around the world who are affected by high blood pressure,” says Taejong Jay Yang, Corporate SVP and Head of Health Team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “This is one of many examples of how Samsung is integrating its best-in-class hardware with the latest software innovations to innovate mobile experiences.”

Samsung hopes to roll out its ECG feature in Q3 2020 to complete the picture.

See Samsung’s video demo below:

Via SamMobile