Hilo wearable caught my high blood pressure when Apple Watch didn't

I wore my Apple Watch daily and never got a hypertension notification, but a friend asked if I wanted to try a wearable called Hilo and it told me almost immediately that I had hypertension. Apple makes clear its hypertension notifications are not intended to diagnose or manage hypertension, and not all people with hypertension will receive a notification; Hilo, by contrast, takes blood pressure readings throughout the day and charts them in an app.

Hilo is a wrist band that looks like a Fitbit without a display. It is a Class IIa medical device that’s FDA cleared and ISO 81060-2 certified. The band is built from polycarbonate with stainless steel fittings, attaches with a hypoallergenic silicone strap, is IP68 rated, and the maker claims the battery lasts 15 days on a single charge.

It is thicker than my Apple Watch Ultra 3. The kit includes a Bluetooth cuff used to calibrate the band, and you must use that cuff at least monthly to keep readings accurate. The app guides you through taking the best reading.

hilo, apple watch, hypertension, blood pressure, wearable, fda cleared, iso 81060-2, bluetooth cuff, calibration, ip68