FDA Approves Apple Watch Hypertension Alerts for 150 Countries

Apple has launched a new hypertension notification feature for its Apple Watch, available on Series 9, 10, 11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3 models with the watchOS 26 update. This feature uses the watch’s optical heart sensor and machine learning to passively detect potential chronic high blood pressure trends over 30-day intervals, alerting users to possible undiagnosed hypertension. The FDA granted clearance for this technology, which Apple expects to notify over one million people worldwide within the first year, including in the U.S., Europe, and other regions. Medical experts emphasize the significance of this advancement as hypertension affects an estimated 1.3 billion adults globally and is often underdiagnosed, posing a major health risk linked to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure. The Apple Watch’s hypertension alerts complement traditional heart rate notifications and are intended to prompt earlier medical care rather than replace clinical blood pressure measurements. This development aligns with Apple’s broader strategy to enhance health monitoring through wearables, offering users continuous insights into vital health metrics.