New Apple Watch Ultra 3 makes early hypertension detection a priority

Apple has officially introduced the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which will provide notifications when it detects signs of chronic high blood pressure once the technology is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The groundbreaking notifications will tell users if signs of hypertension are detected using data from the phone's optical heart sensor. An advanced algorithm works passively in the background, reviewing data over 30-day periods, and will notify users if it detects consistent signs of hypertension.

The hypertension detection technology underwent rigorous scientific validation. The feature was developed with advanced machine learning and training data from multiple studies, totaling more than 100,000 participants. Its performance was then validated in a clinical study of over 2,000 participants. While hypertension notifications will not detect all instances of hypertension, the company predicts the feature will notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension within the first year. The technology is currently pending FDA review.

"The company says they expect FDA approval this fall," Ami B. Bhatt MD, chief innovation officer of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and chair of the FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee, said in an interview with Cardiovascular Business. "This tool empowers patients and clinicians to work together, putting prevention at the center of care. By incorporating real-world data into clinic visits, clinicians can have a more holistic understanding of a patient's cardiovascular risk. What we really want to do is create patient agency and reach as many people as we can for earlier detection of high blood pressure."

Bhatt has already been involved with the development of ACC tools to help guide clinicians as the number of Apple Watches with FDA-cleared cardiac technologies continue to expand, and patient are asking their physicians about their watch alerts and other health data more and more. The ACC Apple Watch Clinician and Patient Tool was launched in May 2025 to help answer many of these questions and help physicians integrate this health data into shared decision making with the patient in their own care.

"As wearables evolve, they will not replace clinical care. Instead, they can serve as connective tissue, linking individuals, clinicians and communities in pursuit of better cardiovascular outcomes for all," Bhatt explains.

She said the new hypertension data can be used by patients to decide if they need to pay more attention to their blood pressure and consider getting a blood pressure cuff to take more detailed, daily measurements. Alerts could also prompt patient-initiated discussions with doctors about lifestyle changes that can prevent or control hypertension.

Apple said if users receive a hypertension notification, it is recommended that they log their blood pressure for seven days using a third-party blood pressure cuff and share the results with their provider at their next visit. The company said this is consistent with the latest American Heart Association guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hypertension.

While the Apple Watch technology is good at giving an overall assessment of a patient's hypertension risk to help raise red flags, Bhatt stressed it is not a replacement for a blood pressure cuff, and is not a remote monitor for a patient's blood pressure levels.

"I am seeing this as a tool for prevention to allow patients to work with their physicians on their health," she said.

Once the FDA clears the hypertension notifications, the feature will be available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, with watchOS 26.