Google's AI-PPG-ACC-HTN study published in Nature: Using consumer-grade smartwatches to detect hypertension without a cuff

Google has released a multimodal AI system, AI-PPG-ACC-HTN, which does not require wristband calibration and passively detects persistent hypertension using a standard consumer-grade smartwatch. The results were published in Nature. The study included 196 participants across 5 clinical centers, using 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring as a reference. Initial screening showed a specificity of 90.0%, a positive predictive value of 80.6%, and a sensitivity of 65.8%. Diagnostic testing showed a positive predictive value of 96.7%, a specificity of 90.9%, and a sensitivity of 78.4%.