January 28, 2026
update
Hypertension notifications now available on Apple Watch
Starting today, Apple Watch is introducing a breakthrough Hypertension Notification feature in Australia that can alert users if signs of chronic hypertension (or high blood pressure) are detected.1
Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease, affecting approximately 1.4 billion adults worldwide.2 It often goes undiagnosed because there are often no symptoms, many people do not see a doctor regularly, and even during a consultation, it can be easily missed by a single measurement.
High blood pressure notification on Apple Watch uses data from an optical heart sensor to analyze how your blood vessels respond to your heartbeat. The algorithm works passively in the background, reviewing data over 30 days and notifying users when it detects consistent signs of high blood pressure. By simply wearing Apple Watch, these notifications provide users with valuable insight into their health status related to this widespread condition, so they can initiate potentially life-saving behavior changes or initiate treatment to reduce the risk of serious long-term health events.
Like all Apple health features, high blood pressure notifications are based on rigorous scientific testing. This feature was developed using advanced machine learning and training data from over 100,000 participants. Its performance was then validated in a clinical study involving over 2,000 participants. Although Hypertension Notifications cannot detect all high blood pressure, it is estimated that Apple Watch’s widespread adoption will notify more than 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension worldwide within a year of availability.
Australian Heart Foundation Chief Medical Adviser Professor Garry Jennings said: “Awareness of high blood pressure is so low in Australia that we welcome new technology to advise people that they may have high blood pressure and should see their doctor for confirmation.” “High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, but only about one-third of adults are aware of their high blood pressure and lower their blood pressure to a satisfactory level.”
If users receive a high blood pressure notification, they are encouraged to record their blood pressure for 7 days using a third-party blood pressure cuff and share the results with their healthcare provider at their next visit. This is consistent with current guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hypertension.
- High blood pressure notifications are available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later. Hypertension Notification is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 22, who has previously been diagnosed with high blood pressure, or who is pregnant. This device is not intended to replace traditional diagnostic methods. Consult your doctor if high blood pressure is detected. Hypertension may be present even without notification. Be sure to follow the instructions for use.
- The World Health Organization estimates that by 2024, 1.4 billion adults aged 30 to 79 worldwide will have high blood pressure. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension For more information.
press contact
Lauren Helmrich
apple
lhelmrich@apple.com
Nelly Assayag
apple
nassayag@apple.com