Samsung Galaxy Watch removing ‘Vascular Load’

Samsung has announced that it will shut down its “Vascular Load” feature on Galaxy Watch, replacing it with a new metric.

In a notice sent to users (via Reddit), Samsung explains that it will shut down support for measuring a user’s “Vascular Load” on Galaxy Watch starting with the next major update One UI 9 Watch (Wear OS 7) and Samsung Health 7.0. This affects Galaxy Watch owners in the United States, with previous data going away.

What is “Vascular Load?”

Samsung previously explained the feature as follows:

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While you sleep, [Galaxy Watch] reads Photoplethysmogram (PPG) waveforms – optical signals associated with blood flow during sleep. It measures blood volume and vascular stiffness and precisely analyses changes in stress on blood vessels. Because diet, stress, and rest all affect this metric, regular monitoring shows which habits to fine-tune and helps you cut cardiovascular risk before it takes hold.

Samsung is turning its focus over to blood pressure trends, a feature the company announced was coming to the US earlier this year.

Interesting, Samsung’s notice mentions that this is supported on the “upcoming Galaxy Watch,” referring to Galaxy Watch 9, despite blood pressure trends being available on existing devices too. The feature does require users to check their blood pressure every 28 days with a proper cuff for accuracy.

Samsung’s full notice reads:

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all Samsung Health users.

Starting with Samsung Health version 7.0 and the One UI 9 watch update, the Vascular load feature will no longer be available for users in the United States. Once Vascular load is deactivated, your Vascular load data won’t appear in Samsung Health, but you can download it at any time by going to More options > Settings > Download personal data.

New feature to be added: The Blood pressure trend feature will check your blood pressure periodically to show you a trend over time. It will also give you tips to help support healthy habits. You’ll need to use a blood pressure cuff to set up your Galaxy Watch before you start tracking your blood pressure trend. This new feature will be available on the upcoming Galaxy Watch.

Blood pressure trend is for wellness only. It’s not for the diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition. If you’re concerned about your health, be sure to see a medical professional.

[Effective date] This change is expected to take effect in late July as part of the One UI 9 watch update.

You can check your Samsung Health mobile app version by going to Samsung Health Application > Samsung Health Settings > Samsung Health Information.