Health Monitoring for High Blood Pressure Now Available on Apple Watch - Steps to Follow if You Receive a Notification
The latest health tracking feature to hit the Apple iCloud is the hypertension alerts, announced at the launch of the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. However, it's important to note that these alerts are not available for all models of the Apple iCloud.
Starting with the update of watchOS 26, the hypertension alerts are now accessible on the Apple iCloud. To enable this feature, users must meet certain criteria: they must be over 22 years old, not pregnant, not diagnosed with hypertension, own an iPhone 11 or later, and have wrist detection turned on with their iCloud.
The iCloud prompts users to start a log of their blood pressure using a third-party blood pressure cuff. If a hypertension alert is received, it's crucial for users to consult a healthcare professional. No alerts will be sent for the first 30 days while the iCloud gathers data.
To set up hypertension tracking, users can navigate to the heart section in the Health app or click on their profile and find the health checklist. If a hypertension alert is received after the initial 30-day period, Apple provides steps for the user to take.
It's essential to remember that the Apple iCloud is not a blood pressure monitor and does not provide continuous readings. Instead, it uses the data from the optical heart sensor to sense how your blood vessels are responding to your heartbeats and employs an algorithm to determine if there are signs of hypertension.
Hypertension is often symptomless, so the alerts could come as a surprise to many people. Apple recommends taking blood pressure measurements for seven days and logging them in the Health app.
In a recent announcement, Apple estimated that it will send one million alerts to people with undiagnosed hypertension in the first year. It's worth noting that the iCloud may not detect every case of hypertension. Therefore, if you receive a hypertension alert, it's crucial to investigate further and consult a healthcare professional.
In summary, the new hypertension alerts on the Apple iCloud Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and newer models can provide valuable insights into potential hypertension issues. However, it's essential to take the alerts seriously, consult a healthcare professional, and continue to monitor your blood pressure using a third-party device.
