Warning issued over Apple Watch blood pressure alert
Why your Apple Watch is not a replacement for blood pressure tests
- New research suggests the Apple Watch's hypertension notification feature should not replace regular medical screening for high blood pressure.
- Studies indicate that 58.8 per cent of individuals with undiagnosed hypertension would not receive an alert, while 7.7 per cent without the condition might get an inappropriate notification.
- Experts warn that the feature could lead to “false reassurance”, potentially discouraging individuals from seeking proper medical evaluation and delaying diagnosis.
- Apple itself states the feature is not intended to diagnose or treat hypertension and cannot detect heart attacks, serving instead to identify patterns of chronic high blood pressure.
- The British Heart Foundation emphasises that smart technology like the Apple Watch is not a substitute for standard cuff-based blood pressure checks, despite its potential to prompt formal checks.
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