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Nearly half of all U.S. adults have high blood pressure, a potentially dangerous condition that often presents without any symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)[1]. Due to its “silent” nature and accompanying cardiovascular health risks, health care providers routinely check blood pressure during office visits and urge people to monitor their own blood pressure at home using an upper arm cuff device.
Individuals can now buy smartwatches that provide blood pressure readings as well, but do they provide accurate, trustworthy readings? Here’s what you should know.
- Hospital-grade blood pressure monitoring accuracy for your home
- View, store, and share all your data with smartphone connectivity
- Large, easy-to-use display plus data sharing enabled
- Powered by VIBRA technology to accurately detect arterial vibrations
What Is a Blood Pressure Monitor Watch?
A blood pressure monitor watch is a digital device worn on the wrist that can measure a person’s systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These numbers are associated with the two aspects of blood pressure—when the arteries fill with blood and relax as the heart beats. Systolic blood pressure readings are presented before or above diastolic blood pressure readings. A systolic blood pressure reading of no more than 120 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and a diastolic blood pressure reading of no more than 80 mmHg is considered normal by the American Heart Association[2].
People who want to monitor their blood pressure closely may be attracted to blood pressure monitor watches—and for good reason. “Digital tools empower patients to take charge of their own health,” says Rigved Tadwalkar, M.D., a cardiologist at Pacific Heart Institute in Santa Monica, California, and Forbes Health Advisory Board member. Ideally, a blood pressure monitor watch can almost immediately show whether the person wearing it has high, low or normal blood pressure. However, Dr. Tadwalkar says they’re not yet tools people can rely on for accurate readings outside a doctor’s office.
How Blood Pressure Monitor Watches Work
Some blood pressure monitor watches use a technology called photoplethysmography, or PPG, that detects blood flow in the skin via light sensors, catching variations in the amplitude and shape of the pulse and extracting information from those variations, explains Dr. Tadwalkar. However, the accuracy of the readings can vary from person to person depending on the user’s body size, age, degree of skin pigmentation and sometimes even the lighting in the room.
Other blood pressure monitor watches use a different technology that employs a miniature inflatable cuff within the wristband.
How to Use a Blood Pressure Monitor Watch
Blood pressure monitor watches have the appearance of a digital wristwatch. Typically, no one other than the wearer can tell that the watch is measuring blood pressure or gathering other health statistics. Some of these watches can also connect with smartphone apps to help users track their health data over time.
“When you look at the American Heart Association’s guidance on how to get an accurate blood pressure reading, it’s very important to first rest for five minutes to reach a calm state,” says Francoise Marvel, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Johns Hopkins Division of Cardiology in Baltimore. In this relaxed state, take at least three readings. One shouldn’t smoke, exercise or consume any caffeinated drinks within 30 minutes of taking a blood pressure reading, adds Dr. Marvel.
Typically, blood pressure monitor watches function in opposition to this advice. “Being on the go and taking a blood pressure reading don’t go together,” says Dr. Marvel. “You want to be in a state of total relaxation.”
Furthermore, Dr. Tadalkar suggests blood pressure monitor watch wearers need to lift the watch to the level of their heart when measuring their blood pressure. “If it’s lower than the heart, it can give a falsely elevated value,” he says.
Are Blood Pressure Monitor Watches Accurate?
“The accuracy of [blood pressure] monitor watches isn’t up to par with [upper] arm cuff readings taken in clinical settings,” says Dr. Tadwalkar.
Because of the way the blood circulates from the heart to the rest of the body, the gold standard of accurate blood pressure monitoring is a physician or trained health care provider using a stethoscope with the upper arm cuff, says Dr. Marvel. (Automated upper arm blood pressure cuffs used at home are still relatively accurate but not as reliable as the upper arm cuff with a stethoscope.) Studies conducted with some blood pressure monitor watches show alarmingly inaccurate numbers, and such blood pressure readings could cause a health care provider to miss a stroke or fail to manage a patient’s medication properly. “If the data isn’t precise and gives us information that would cause us to make changes in [a person’s condition] management [plan], that’s a large risk we’re not willing to take,” she adds.
However, one way a blood pressure monitor watch may be helpful is if it indicates a sudden rise or dip in blood pressure. “If a person’s blood pressure is suddenly very high, that could be a medical emergency,” says Dr. Tadwalkar. “If it’s very low, that could [signal] overmedication, infection or severe illness, which are also very dangerous.”
All in all, blood pressure monitor watches aren’t yet ready for primetime, according to Dr. Marvel. A blood pressure monitor watch shouldn’t replace an at-home arm cuff or readings gathered during doctor visits but rather be used to supplement more reliable readings. They can help people pay closer attention to overall trends with their blood pressure and significant variations from normal values, empowering them to play a more active role in protecting themselves from this asymptomatic chronic disease.
“[With that said], this technology is easily accessible and can help people be responsible for their well-being. It’s a tool that can fit into the toolbox,” adds Dr. Tadwalkar.
- Prices start at $39.99
- Stores up to 99 readings on the device (unlimited data storage on the app)
- Clinically validated and FDA cleared
- Color-coded blood pressure readings alert user when their blood pressure is high
- Monitors for irregular heartbeat detection
Blood Pressure Monitor Watches to Try
If you’d like to give a blood pressure monitor watch a try, consider the three options below.
Omron HeartGuide Blood Pressure Monitor Watch
- Manufacturer list price: $499
- Measures blood pressure with an inflatable wrist cuff
- Provides readings within 30 seconds
YHE BP Doctor Pro Blood Pressure Smartwatch
- Manufacturer list price: $449
- Measures blood pressure with an inflatable wrist cuff
- Provides readings in about 30 seconds
Med-Watch Blood Pressure Watch
- Manufacturer list price: $179.99
- Measures blood pressure with PPG technology
- Provides readings in as little as 30 seconds
Quick Tips for Buying a Blood Pressure Monitor Watch
Experts offer the following considerations for people interested in trying a blood pressure monitor watch.
First, consider a watch that tracks fewer health statistics. Devices that track a lot of different health statistics may not provide accurate readings for each of them, says Dr. Tadwalkar.
Second, consider whether the device could make you feel anxious about your health. Constantly checking a variety of health metrics, especially if you’re generally healthy, could cause unnecessary worry, cautions Dr. Tadwalkar.
Lastly, if you’re determined to buy a blood pressure monitor watch, be sure to use it in tandem with an at-home upper arm cuff blood pressure monitor, says Dr Marvel.
Hospital-Grade Accuracy For Your Home
Oxiline blood pressure monitors enable you to view, store and share all of your data with smartphone connectivity.
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