The new Hypertension Notifications feature on select Apple Watch models was recently licensed by Health Canada, according to the blog iPhone in Canada.
The feature is already available in more than 150 countries and regions, including the U.S. and many European countries, but it has yet to launch in Canada. That should soon change, now that the feature has received a license from Health Canada.
Hypertension Notifications are available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and later, as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, with watchOS 26 installed.
The feature can alert users if signs of chronic hypertension (high blood pressure) are detected, according to Apple. Based on data from the Apple Watch's optical heart sensor, the feature can analyze how a user's blood vessels respond to the beats of the heart. The algorithm works passively in the background, reviewing data over 30-day periods, and users are notified if consistent signs of hypertension are detected.
Apple:
The feature works passively in the background during waking hours, analyzing data over discrete 30-day intervals to detect signs of hypertension. It does not require calibration, it does not measure blood pressure directly, and does not surface a blood pressure reading to users. Instead, the Hypertension Notification Feature notifies users if optical heart sensor data shows signs of hypertension after 30 days.
Apple said the feature underwent "rigorous scientific validation," as outlined in a 12-page document. According to the company, it was developed with advanced machine learning and training data from multiple studies totaling more than 100,000 participants, and its performance was then validated in a clinical study of more than 2,000 participants.
Apple says the feature is "not intended for use by people under 22 years old, those who have been previously diagnosed with hypertension, or during pregnancy."
