New Delhi
Hypertension remains one of the world’s biggest health threats an estimated 1.4 billion adults globally were living with high blood pressure in 2024, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Despite this, only about one in five manage to keep the condition under control, leading to over 10 million deaths every year.
To help detect this “silent killer” early, Apple has begun rolling out hypertension notifications for Apple Watch users in India. The feature uses machine learning and the watch’s optical heart sensor to track how blood vessels respond to each heartbeat. It passively analyses health data in the background for 30-day cycles, alerting users if it detects persistent signs of high blood pressure.
“This is what we call an intelligent guardian feature always working in the background with no calibration required,” explained Dr Adam Phillips, cardiologist at Apple. “We expect it will encourage people to seek timely care and help prevent conditions like heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.”
Built using data from over 100,000 study participants, the technology was clinically validated in trials with more than 2,000 people. Apple estimates that the feature could identify over one million cases of undiagnosed hypertension in its first year alone.
When a notification appears, users are advised to monitor their blood pressure for seven days using a standard cuff and share the readings with a healthcare professional. All related information can be tracked and exported through the Health app on iPhone.
The feature is supported on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, but is not intended for users under 22, those already diagnosed with hypertension, or during pregnancy.
With this update, the Apple Watch steps up once again not just as a fitness companion, but a powerful tool for preventive healthcare.
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