Samsung Galaxy Watch may soon spot early signs of heart failure

Samsung is turning its smartwatches into serious health monitors. The company has announced that upcoming Galaxy Watches will be able to detect Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction (LVSD) — a hidden but deadly condition that often precedes heart failure and affects roughly half of all such cases.

LVSD occurs when the heart’s left ventricle fails to contract properly, leading to reduced blood flow and fluid buildup. It’s hard to detect without a hospital-grade ECG, but early intervention can dramatically cut the risk of hospitalisation or death. That’s what Samsung hopes to change.

The tech giant has teamed up with Medical AI, a South Korean firm that specialises in ECG analysis. Its algorithm already screens over 120,000 patients monthly across 100 hospitals in South Korea. Samsung has adapted the same algorithm to work with the PPG heart-rate sensors on its Galaxy Watches, creating what could be the first consumer wearable capable of flagging potential heart dysfunction. The feature has already received regulatory clearance from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, giving Samsung a first-mover advantage.

However, the company is positioning LVSD detection as a “general wellness” feature rather than a medical diagnostic. That suggests it may not seek FDA approval in the US immediately — unlike Apple and Google, both of which have aggressively pursued medical certification for similar health tools.