Apple Watch Introduces Hypertension Alerts for Canadian Users
Canadian Apple Watch users will soon benefit from a groundbreaking health feature that alerts them to potential high blood pressure—commonly referred to as hypertension. This update is rolling out today.
Hypertension stands as a critical contributor to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease, often remaining asymptomatic. The innovative feature leverages the wristwatch’s heart sensor to monitor how an individual’s blood vessels react to heartbeats.
Over a span of 30 days, the device discreetly analyzes this data. If it detects persistent indications of elevated blood pressure, it will issue a notification.
Individuals can activate “Hypertension Notifications” through the Health app on their iPhone. The primary objective is to provide users with an early warning, allowing them to implement lifestyle adjustments or seek medical advice before the situation escalates.
An estimated 8 million Canadians—roughly one in four—are affected by hypertension, a number poised to rise with the aging population.
Dr. Heather Ross, chief cardiologist at the Peter Munk Cardiac Center, emphasized, Despite its treatability, hypertension often remains undiagnosed and is a significant factor in cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, coronary artery disease, dementia, and heart failure.
Enhancing screening measures for earlier diagnosis and treatment is crucial. This hypertension notification capability on the Apple Watch is a significant advancement and has the potential to make a substantial impact.
Apple’s feature development was informed by data derived from over 100,000 individuals and rigorously tested in a clinical trial involving more than 2,000 participants.
Although it may not identify every case, Apple anticipates that it could notify over one million people globally within its first year of implementation.
Upon receiving a notification, users are advised to verify the reading with a conventional blood pressure cuff and share the results with their healthcare provider. The Health app now facilitates the logging of these readings and generates a report for upcoming medical appointments.
Last month, Health Canada granted approval for hypertension warnings on the Apple Watch, paving the way for today’s announcement. This feature is excellent news for Canadians utilizing an Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 (or newer), alongside an iPhone 11 or later.
To activate hypertension notifications, simply launch the Health app, search for ‘hypertension,’ and select the option that appears.
If the option indicates it is unavailable in your region, wait a moment for it to enable itself. The setup process is straightforward, requiring only confirmation of your age (22 or older) and prior diagnoses.
Source link: Iphoneincanada.ca.
