Wearable cuffless blood pressure tracking: when will they be good enough?

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Health
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Wearable health monitoring is a significant industry, with cuffless blood pressure monitoring being a key goal.
• Raised blood pressure is a global health concern and a leading cause of mortality.
• Despite numerous attempts and market entries, cuffless blood pressure devices face challenges in clinical acceptance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the challenges and opportunities in cuffless blood pressure monitoring.
• To compare cuffless devices against traditional cuff-based measurements during a 24-hour period.
• To assess the feasibility of cuffless devices for clinical decision-making.

Main Methods:

• A 24-hour self-monitoring blood pressure test was conducted.
• Five devices were used simultaneously: two validated cuff-based devices (left and right arm) and three cuffless wearable devices (wrist-band, chest patch, ring).
• Measurements were taken during rest, sleep, and a high-stress event (Rugby World Cup final).

Main Results:

• None of the tested cuffless devices perfectly captured blood pressure during all physiological conditions.
• The study highlighted the variability and challenges in obtaining accurate blood pressure readings, especially during dynamic physiological states.
• The limitations observed question the adequacy of single blood pressure measurements in clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• Current cuffless blood pressure monitoring technologies face significant challenges in accuracy and reliability.
• The study underscores the need for revisiting current clinical practices for blood pressure assessment.
• Further research and technological advancements are required before cuffless measurements can be reliably integrated into clinical decision-making.