Apple Watch shouldn’t be relied on to alert to possible hypertension: study
Researchers say the watch’s failure to alert nearly 60 per cent of individuals with undiagnosed hypertension creates ‘false reassurance’
An Apple Watch feature to spot signs of high blood pressure cannot reliably be used instead of regular screening tests, according to new research.
People should not rely on their watch to alert them to changes in their blood pressure due to the risk of “false reassurance”, researchers say, adding that people should still have regular blood pressure checks using a cuff.
The tech giant says that not all people with high blood pressure will receive a notification, and the Apple Watch cannot detect heart attacks.
Apple says that instead, the feature is designed to look for patterns of chronic high blood pressure. It does this via a heart sensor and uses a 30-day evaluation.
