Apple has announced the launch of its new hypertension notifications feature on Apple Watch in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The feature can alert users if signs of chronic high blood pressure are detected.

Hypertension is a leading risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. It affects approximately 1.3 billion adults globally. Many cases go undiagnosed, as the condition often shows no symptoms. Even during a doctor’s visit, a single measurement can miss it.

Apple Watch uses data from its optical heart sensor to track how blood vessels respond to heartbeats. The algorithm works in the background, analyzing data over 30-day periods. Users are notified if consistent signs of hypertension are detected.

These notifications give users valuable health insights. They can start behavioral changes or seek treatment to lower long-term health risks. Apple reported that the feature is grounded in rigorous scientific validation. It was developed with advanced machine learning and data from studies involving over 100,000 participants. Its performance was validated in a clinical study with more than 2,000 participants.

While the feature will not detect all cases of hypertension, Apple expects it could notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension in the first year. Users who receive an alert are advised to log their blood pressure for seven days using a third-party cuff and share the results with their healthcare provider, following American Heart Association guidelines.

Hypertension notifications are available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later. The feature is not intended for users under 22, those previously diagnosed with hypertension, or during pregnancy.

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