Apple Watch launches new hypertension notification feature

Apple has released a new version of the Apple Watch featuring hypertension notifications that will alert users to signs of chronic high blood pressure.

The Apple Watch Series 11 uses data from the smartwatch's heart sensor to analyze blood vessels' response to heartbeats. Hypertension, in which blood vessels have persistently raised pressure, can cause persistent chest pain, heart attacks, heart failure and an irregular heartbeat, if left untreated. The smartwatch's algorithm will passively review the blood vessel data over 30-day periods, notifying users if it identifies patterns indicating hypertension.

Still, the company recommends that users who receive hypertension notifications use a blood pressure cuff to collect readings for seven days and share them with their healthcare providers.

According to an Apple press release, the feature was developed using advanced machine learning and training data from numerous studies totaling over 100,000 participants. It was validated in a clinical study involving more than 2,000 participants.

Though the Apple Watch will not detect all hypertension cases, its reach is expected to be expansive given the widespread use of the smartwatch, the company noted.

The feature has yet to receive FDA clearance, though Apple expects to receive approval "soon." It will be available in more than 150 countries and regions this month.

Alongside the hypertension notification feature, the latest Apple Watch will include a new sleep score feature. The sleep score will assess sleep quality by tracking various features, such as duration, bedtime consistency and how often a person wakes up. The sleep score feature provides an overall score and classification. The company stated that more than 5 million nights of Apple Heart and Movement Study data were used to develop and test the scoring algorithms.

The new features add to Apple Watch's trove of healthcare capabilities. The smartwatch already offers irregular rhythm notification, sleep apnea detection, hearing test, atrial fibrillation history recording and medication tracking features.

Stan Ng, Apple's vice president of Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing, said in the press release that the "Apple Watch Series 11 is an indispensable companion that supports users' health, fitness, safety, and connectivity throughout the day and night."The new health features signal an enduring interest in healthcare wearable technology among U.S. adults.

A 2023 survey showed that 35% of U.S. adults are using wearable healthcare devices, up 8 percentage points from 2018. Wearables users cited achieving fitness goals (31%) and tracking health data (24%) as the top reasons for owning and using the devices.

Anuja Vaidya has covered the healthcare industry since 2012. She currently covers the virtual healthcare landscape, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutics.