Smart watches are developing everyday and features are getting advanced with a large focus on health monitoring. While it may sound beneficial, progress, but these features are impacting users adversely. Earlier users were tracking their steps, water intake, and physical workouts. Now, they are relying on smartwatches to monitor blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and sleep patterns.
As per reports, smart watches have shown around 20% of errors in blood pressure reporting. This percentage can increase if the device is not used properly or because of technical issues. Researchers have finally released a warning against the use of smartwatches for blood pressure screening.
Smart Watch Sending False Alert Notifications
The University of Utah Health Study has recently studied that some smartwatches send false alert notifications for high blood pressure, and don’t indicate when it’s actually high. High blood pressure is often referred to as the “silent killer,” as it is a major reason behind heart problems. Many patients do not feel any significant changes because of high blood pressure, and it goes unnoticed.
Adam Bress, professor at the University of Utah, said, “A smart watch can support but should not replace regular blood pressure checks. If a smartwatch is helping people get engaged with the healthcare system to diagnose and treat hypertension using cuff-based measurement methods, that’s a good thing.”
Apple Watch Hypertension Feature
In September 2025, Apple’s Watch hypertension notification feature was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Apple uses watche’s optical sensors to track the blood flow patterns. Although the released statement said the feature is not supposed to detect high blood pressure.
Previous research from U. Health concluded that Apple’s notifications feature did not notify around 59% of people with undiagnosed hypertension, and 8% of people without hypertension received alerts. 30 million of the US population use Apple smartwatches, making it an effective health tool. However, a huge reliance on smartwatches for hypertension diagnosis can lead to bigger issues.
Researchers have recommended that everytime you receive alerts for high blood pressure, make sure to confirm it through clinical screening. It reduces the risk of a wrong diagnosis and enhances the role of the smartwatch as a support tool.
Future of Smartwatch Hypertension Monitoring
Several smartwatches available in the market claim to have an advanced high blood pressure monitoring feature, but only a few can be trusted. Undoubtedly, technologies are advancing, but they are still not ready to replace clinical screenings. Accuracy rate and proper usage remain a major hurdle in the path of wearables.
No Comments