Apple Watch implements hypertension detection

1 hour ago

Nyana Whitelaw,

JACKSON, Tenn. — Millions of people check their Apple watches daily for activity or sleep, but a new health metric is now available.

In the latest update, Apple watches can now analyze heart rate data to detect signs of hypertension.

Using data collected over time, the device identifies patterns that may detect signs of chronic high blood pressure.

The feature is expected to notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension within the first year.

“It won’t assess a number, or give you a number,” said Rajiv Kumar, M.D., Physician-Researcher for Apple. “It’s looking for changes to the blood vessels over time. So, if one gets the notification, then it’s recommended that they start checking their blood pressure with a traditional blood pressure cuff.”