Apple has announced that its hypertension notifications feature is available in Malaysia starting today (Jan 28) for users with Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, or later models.
The company said the feature will alert users if signs of chronic high blood pressure or hypertension are detected. It works by using the Apple Watch’s optical heart sensor to analyse how the user’s blood vessels respond to each heartbeat.
"The algorithm works passively in the background reviewing data over 30-day periods, and will notify users if it detects consistent signs of hypertension," the company said in statement, adding that the notification provide users with health insights so they can make behavioural changes or seek professional help.
For users who receive a hypertension notification, the company said they are recommended to log or monitor their blood pressure for seven days using a third-party blood pressure cuff. Then, they can share the results with their medical provider at their next visit.
The company added that this measure is consistent with latest guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hypertension, which impacts 1.4 billion adults globally.
It said that the feature is "grounded in rigorous scientific validation", developed with advanced machine learning and training data from studies totalling over 100,000 participants.
The company acknowledged that the feature may not detect all instances of hypertension, but claimed that it is expected to notify over one million users worldwide with undiagnosed hypertension within its first year of availability.
Apple added that the feature not intended for people under 22, those already diagnosed with hypertension, or pregnant users.
Users can set up the hypertension notifications feature in the Health app on iPhone and then manage the settings in the Apple Watch app.
Apple first introduced the hypertension notifications feature last year with the Apple Watch Series 11, priced from RM1,799.
