- The TGA has approved the Apple Watch’s hypertension notification function
- Apple can now legally activate the function on its smartwatch
- This can be a life-saving feature as it alerts you if your watch thinks you have chronic high blood pressure
The one feature I’ve been waiting for on the Apple Watch Series 11 has finally been approved. According to a report published by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) earlier this month, the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) has finally approved hypertension notifications on compatible Apple Watches.
However, this does not mean that users can immediately start using the feature; it just allows Apple to legally enable blood pressure monitoring on its popular smartwatch. There’s no update yet from Apple on when the feature will be rolled out in Australia, but the tech giant usually pushes out an update as soon as local authorities approve a health tracking feature.
This was a relatively quick turnaround for the TGA, given that it took the government body over a year to approve ECG monitoring and sleep apnea detection previously. That said, we’re a little late to the party as the feature already works in 150 other countries, including Canada and New Zealand.
Is hypertension monitoring important?
You don’t necessarily need the latest Apple Watch to benefit from hypertension notifications – Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or an Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later would be able to monitor blood pressure as the hardware is already installed. However, you must be running watchOS 26 on the smartwatch.
However, none of the SE series watches have this ability.
If you suffer from chronic high blood pressure, you’re hopefully already under your doctor’s care, but having something on your wrist at all times means you can be alerted to possible spikes and can take early action if needed. It can also help you build a medical record that you can take to your doctor.
The Apple Watch does this by using data from the wearable’s optical heart sensor and reviewing it over a 30-day period to watch for consistent signs of high blood pressure.
Hypertension is a serious risk factor that can lead to several health problems, including heart attack, stroke and kidney disease, and unfortunately, many people do not necessarily know they are hypertensive, as it does not necessarily cause any symptoms. This means it can be missed.
According to the Heart Research Institute (HRI), more than 4 million Australians are affected by cardiovascular problems and the ability to monitor blood pressure consistently could save lives.
It’s important to note that the readings on your Apple Watch may not be accurate—if you get a notification, it’s best to double-check by using a medically approved blood pressure monitor.
When Apple rolls out the feature, you don’t need to configure it – it works passively and automatically in the background. With any luck, you’ll never need its help, but it’s good to know it’s there if you do.
Read more about how the Apple Watch monitors blood pressure.
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