Oura Aims for Inclusion in the Growing List of Wearables Targeting Hypertension Detection

Oura Health has launched a Blood Pressure Profile Study (October 2025) focused on passive hypertension risk detection. Oura aims to identify early hypertension indicators using physiological data — including heart rate, temperature, and heart rate variability (HRV) — combined with user questionnaires. The system aims to categorises users into three risk levels (None, Moderate, Major) but will not provide specific blood pressure readings.

This initiative parallels the approach of Apple’s FDA-cleared hypertension detection alerts — a more cautious path compared to Whoop, which has faced FDA scrutiny over its health-related marketing claims.

Background: Wearables Aim for Blood Pressure Insights

Definition: Hypertension is the medical diagnosis for consistently high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a major global health concern. Its prevalence, cost, and complexity in detection and treatment have long attracted wearable companies aiming to profit from giving their users better understand and manage cardiovascular health.

Accurate blood pressure detection typically requires active cuff-based measurement. Achieving comparable accuracy with optical sensors has proven very difficult due to motion artifacts and individual physiological variability. Additionally, FDA clearance is mandatory for any diagnostic or clinical claim made in the U.S. requiring significant cost and time.

Key Milestones

Progress has been slow but 2025 has seen a notable uptick in companies able to offer high blood pressure services on their wearables.

• 2019: Omron launches a smartwatch called Heartguide with a built-in inflatable cuff and earns FDA approval.
• July 2025: Hilo (Aktiia) gains FDA clearance for cuffless BP tracking.
• September 2025: Apple introduces FDA-cleared passive hypertension monitoring in its new sensor on models since Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.

Consumer-grade devices thus fall in one of two camps: clinically validated monitors or risk-indicative devices. Even then they typically need periodic calibration against an inflatable cuff and only indicate broad trends or give alerts rather than actual readings. Oura’s approach is intended to place it as a product that can generate alerts based on risk.

Disclaimer: FDA-Cleared indicates that a device has been deemed safe and effective for its intended use but is not necessarily diagnostic. Always consult a qualified medical professional for hypertension diagnosis or treatment.

Last Updated on 28 January 2026 by the5krunner

the5krunner

tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors.