Apple has begun rolling out hypertension notifications for Apple Watch users in the United Arab Emirates, marking the first public launch of a feature designed to identify potential signs of chronic high blood pressure through passive monitoring. Hypertension affects an estimated 1.3 billion adults worldwide and remains underdiagnosed, largely because it often has no noticeable symptoms and is easy to miss during occasional clinical checks. Apple’s new feature attempts to address that gap by using the watch’s optical heart sensor to analyze vascular responses over time.
The system relies on background measurements collected across 30-day periods. When the algorithm detects patterns that may indicate persistent high blood pressure, the watch sends a notification advising the user to follow up. While this does not replace a formal diagnosis — nor does it detect every case — it offers an additional layer of awareness for people who may not routinely monitor their blood pressure. Apple describes the goal as empowering earlier conversations and interventions by giving users a clearer view of their cardiovascular health through data already captured on their wrist.
According to the company, the feature was developed using machine learning models trained on data from multiple studies involving more than 100,000 participants. Apple then validated its performance in a clinical study of over 2,000 people. These claims point to an effort to anchor the feature in established research rather than marketing language, though Apple is still careful to frame the notifications as preliminary indicators rather than diagnostic tools. Even so, Apple expects the feature to flag previously undiagnosed hypertension in more than a million users within its first year of availability.
If a user receives a hypertension notification, current guidance aligns with recommendations from the American Heart Association: log blood pressure readings using a standard external cuff for seven days and share those measurements with a healthcare provider. This multi-day log remains the accepted route for confirming a diagnosis, and the watch feature is intended to prompt that process rather than replace it.
The notifications are supported on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later models. Apple notes that the feature is not intended for users under age 22, people with a prior hypertension diagnosis, or individuals who are pregnant — all groups for whom different monitoring standards apply.
With this rollout, Apple continues expanding its portfolio of health-related features while positioning the watch as a tool for preventive monitoring rather than episodic health checks. How effective the notifications will be in everyday use will depend on real-world adherence and clinical follow-up, but the feature reflects a broader trend of consumer devices taking on roles traditionally tied to clinical screenings.
