With FDA approval officially granted, Garmin has unlocked electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement capability on a variety of current smartwatch models. The update is for U.S. users and includes the Garmin Epix Pro series, Fenix 7 Pro series, Venu 3 and 3S, and Tactix 7 AMOLED.

All of these models utilize Garmin's ELEVATE 5 optical heart rate sensor, which takes approximately 30 seconds to read. Once the measurement is complete, the information is sent to the watch's built-in ECG application, where it is analyzed and the results are displayed on the watch face.

Garmin first introduced ECG functionality in January with the Venu 2 Plus, which uses slightly different hardware to provide readings than its sibling. Of course, Garmin is not alone in offering this feature; Apple Watch users have been able to take ECG measurements as far back as the Apple Watch 4. Fitbit Sense and Sense 2 also support ECG, as do many of Samsung's Galaxy Watch also support ECG.

To unlock access to ECG, simply download the latest version of the Garmin Connect app (version 4.72 or later) to your smart device, pair and select a compatible smart watch, and navigate to "ECG App Setup." Setup takes a few minutes and consists mostly of warnings about measurement limits.

Most notably, ECG readings cannot be used to detect medical events such as heart attacks, strokes, or blood clots. They can, however, be used to warn of irregular heart rhythms known as atrial fibrillation or atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation occurs when the upper and lower chambers of the heart are not beating in synchrony. This condition can be temporary or permanent. In the latter case, it can be life-threatening if not treated.

The Elevate 5 sensor works by recording electrical signals related to the heartbeat. These results are analyzed by the application for abnormalities. If something suspicious is found, the user receives an alert with detailed information. In addition to atrial fibrillation, this feature can also alert the user to an abnormally high or low heart rate.

In addition to in-situ ECG measurements, users can also sync and save ECG data to the Connect app. In doing so, they can generate reports that can be easily shown to medical professionals.

After all, we are big fans of brands adding features to their devices at no cost to the user through firmware. This is especially true when, as in this case, the added features are legitimately useful.

Unfortunately, for those outside the U.S., they will likely have to wait until they receive approval from their respective government health services before Garmin's latest ECG technology becomes available.