UPDATE
28 January 2026
Hypertension notifications available today on Apple Watch
Starting today, Apple Watch introduces the groundbreaking hypertension notifications feature in Malaysia, which can alert users if signs of chronic high blood pressure — or hypertension — are detected.1
Hypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease, and impacts approximately 1.4 billion adults globally. It is frequently undiagnosed because it often has no symptoms, many people do not see a doctor regularly, and even during a clinical visit, it can be easily missed with a single measurement.
Hypertension notifications on Apple Watch use data from the optical heart sensor to analyse how a user’s blood vessels respond to the beats of the heart. The algorithm works passively in the background reviewing data over 30-day periods, and will notify users if it detects consistent signs of hypertension. These notifications provide users with valuable insights into their health as it relates to this widespread condition simply by wearing their Apple Watch, so they can begin making potentially lifesaving behavioural changes, or start treatment to reduce their risk of serious, long-term health events.
Like all of Apple’s health features, hypertension notifications are grounded in rigorous scientific validation. The feature was developed with advanced machine learning and training data from multiple studies totalling over 100,000 participants. Its performance was then validated in a clinical study of over 2,000 participants. While hypertension notifications will not detect all instances of hypertension, with the reach of Apple Watch, it’s estimated the feature will notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension worldwide within its first year of availability.
If users receive a hypertension notification, it is recommended that they log their blood pressure for seven days using a third-party blood pressure cuff and share the results with their provider at their next visit, which is consistent with the latest guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hypertension.
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- Hypertension notifications are available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later. The feature is not intended for use by people under 22 years old, those who have been previously diagnosed with hypertension, or during pregnancy.