Activating Hypertension Detection on Your Apple Watch: A Guide

Discovering high blood pressure could be as simple as using Apple's Hypertension Detection feature. Available on the latest Apple Watch models unveiled this month, this tool provides valuable insights into your cardiovascular health.

Recently approved by the FDA, the Hypertension Detection feature is clinically validated to monitor high blood pressure. Apple amassed data from over 100,000 participants to refine this feature.

This feature analyses your blood pressure trends over a month, providing an overview of your blood volume and whether your levels exceed the hypertension benchmark.

Rather than offering instant readings, the system evaluates your blood pressure longitudinally. A 30-day review offers a more comprehensive understanding of your blood pressure than a single reading might.

Supported Apple Watch Models

The Hypertension Detection tool is featured in the new Series 11 and Ultra 3 Apple Watches, and is supported by WatchOS 26. It’s upgradeable on devices from the Series 9 onward and Ultra 2 models. Unfortunately, SE models do not support this feature.

Steps to Enable Hypertension Alerts

Open the Health app on your iPhone. Use the Search option to find the Heart section.

Navigate to 'Get More From Health' and initiate the setup for hypertension alerts.

Return to the main screen, select your Profile, tap Features, and then access the Health Checklist to activate hypertension notifications.

Utilizing Hypertension Alerts

Wear your Apple Watch consistently for a month. Upon completion, it will inform you whether your blood pressure is above the hypertension level.

If your average exceeds the threshold, consulting a healthcare professional is advised to discuss the watch's data. They may recommend using a conventional monitor for detailed daily measurement.

Users can also input daily diastolic pressure readings directly through the feature, with the option to export the logs as a PDF for medical consultations.