Why do you need a blood pressure monitor on your arm?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, which affects 1.3B globally, may lead to a serious health issue like heart attack or stroke. This illness is sometimes called a silent killer because it doesn’t have obvious symptoms and may be detected only by taking regular blood pressure readings.
Multiple daily blood pressure readings help to understand what drives blood pressure increases and what activities help to lower it. Most doctors ask their hypertensive patients to keep a blood pressure tracker. These blood pressure logs help doctors to build appropriate treatment plans.
For example Dr Peter Attiia, interviewed on Andrew Huberman’s podcast about treating high blood pressure [1], recommends his patients to measure and log blood pressure twice per day.
There are medical devices which can take blood pressure readings 24x7. They include an inflatable cuff, like a regular blood pressure monitor. The challenge with these devices is that they are bulky and disruptive. Especially during a night's sleep. In this post we focus on smaller devices which fit the category of smartwatches.
How did we select devices for this review?
We used the following main criteria
Availability. We included devices which are commercially available in either the US or major European markets. Out of these devices only Omron has currently the FDA approval. This post is published on December 9, 2023 so the availability information is accurate for this date.
Accuracy. We included devices which are either FDA approved (i.e. Omron), where manufacturers provide references to validation research (Samsung, Aktiia, Huawei) or where the majority of user reviews confirm subjectively that the readings are aligned with those taken with traditional BP monitors (YHE).
Usability. The major requirement for inclusion required the watch app compatibility with either Android or iPhone. We excluded some bulkier devices which fit more the category of wrist based blood pressure monitors than blood pressure watches.
Blood pressure watch Omron HeartGuide
pros
FDA-approved
Sleep and activity tracking
cons
Limited strap sizing
Cannot adjust screen brightness
Limited number measurements on a fully charged battery
Omron HeartGuide features: Weight: Approximately 4.1 oz (115 g) | App: Omron Connect
The Omron HeartGuide is an FDA-approved blood pressure watch, delivering a clinically accurate blood pressure reading in 30 seconds. You can also track trends in your blood pressure over time and better understand your readings through the free Omron Connect app. The data can be shared with your doctor.
The HeartGuide uses an inflatable cuff within the watch band that has smaller versions of the components than a regular blood pressure monitor.
Blood pressure watch Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
pros
Study shows accurate and reliable readings
Optoelectronic sensor, no inflatable strap
Available in at least 50 countries
Long-lasting battery
cons
Blood pressure feature not available in the US(as of December 2023)
Needs to be calibrated every four weeks
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 features: BP measurement: Pulse wave analysis | Size: 40mm or 44mm | Weight: 1.01 oz (28.6 g) | Battery life: 50 hours on a single charge | App: Galaxy Wearable
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is an internationally popular smartwatch that can also measure your blood pressure. The big advantage of this device is that with some tinkering users can upload their data to Google Fit which then opens countless possibilities for analyzing health data with different 3rd party Android health apps.
The Galaxy Watch 5 takes ECG readings as well. A study conducted with the Galaxy Watch 5 showed that taking blood pressure measurements with the watch resulted in reliable and accurate readings. The watch was used to help monitor BP in patients in one research of Parkinson's Disease.
The Galaxy Watch 5 series uses the technology called pulse wave analysis to measure blood pressure. This means that the watch doesn’t have an inflatable strap. It allows for a smaller device size and the measurement is not disruptive.
To ensure accurate blood pressure readings, users have to calibrate their watches every month with a traditional blood pressure cuff. The watch itself includes other useful features, including fitness and sleep tracking.
Blood pressure watch Huawei Watch D
pros
user reviews report good accuracy
ease of use and clear instructions
clear data visualization through the Huawei Health app
cons
Limited data export options
Requires 3rd party apps to export data from Huawei Health App to Google Fit
Huawei Watch D features: BP measurement: inflatable strap | Weight 40.9 g (1.45 oz) | App: Huawei Health App.
Blood pressure watch Huawei D measures blood pressure with the help of an inflatable strap. As of December 2023 it doesn’t have an FDA approval for the US. However it is certified as a home blood measuring device in the European Union. Its accuracy is confirmed by several research studies in Europe and China. This device also takes ECG.
Blood pressure watch YHE BP Doctor Pro
pros
Multitude of tracked health metrics: HRV, steps, sleep, calories etc
24x7 heart rate monitoring
Continuous SpO2 monitoring for apnea detection
7-10 days battery life
cons
Weighs more than some other similar devices
YHE BP Doctor Pro features: BP measurement: Inflatable cuff | Size: 5.31-8.66 inches | Weight: 2.12 oz (60.1 g) | App: For both iPhone and Android
The YHE BP Doctor Pro measures your blood pressure with the promise of medical-grade accuracy. It uses inflatable strap and a traditional oscillometric method to measure blood pressure.
I had an opportunity to test this device myself and it demonstrated good alignment of BP measurement results with a traditional blood pressure monitor.
Aktiia 24x7 blood pressure monitor
This device is not a blood pressure watch because it doesn’t include a display. Blood pressure measurements are available in either Android or iOS app. I decided to include this device in the review because it is the smallest and lightest among the reviewed devices, it takes 10-12 BP readings per day totally automatically without any user disturbance and its accuracy has been confirmed by multiple studies in Europe.
pros
Small and light device
Automatic 24x7 blood pressure monitoring
Highly accurate
cons
No display
No data exports to Google Fit or Apple Health
As of December 2023 it is available only in Europe
Aktiia blood pressure monitor features: BP measurement: optoelectronic sensor | Weight: 22g | App: For both iPhone and Android
This blood pressure monitoring bracelet operates solely through the Aktiia app, which uses advanced processing to estimate blood pressure from the data collected using optical sensors and photoplethysmographic (PPG) technology.
I tested this device and found its accuracy to be excellent. With a promised battery life of 9 days it actually delivered 2 solid weeks of BP measurement. However the fact that the data usage is limited only to the Aktiia app is a serious drawback.
Which is the right blood pressure watch for you?
Choose this blood pressure monitor…
If you want…
Omron HeartGuide: An FDA approved level of accuracy from an established brand for blood pressure monitoring
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: A popular health smartwatch with a broad range of features. Before purchasing check that blood pressure monitoring of this device is enabled in your country
YHE BP Doctor Pro: To track other health metrics like SpO2, HRV, continuous HR in addition to blood pressure.
Huawei Watch D: To track blood pressure in the markets where blood pressure feature may not be available on Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.
Aktiia BP Monitor: To take 10-12 automatic highly accurate blood pressure measurements per day without any disruption. As of December 2023 available only in Europe.
Do blood pressure watches really work?
Recent advances in technology mean that futuristic wearables are becoming more realistic than ever before. Judging by scientific research, user feedback and my personal experience blood pressure watches really do work and provide quite accurate readings.
I recommend, however, talking to your doctor before choosing a particular device. Remember also that availability of different blood pressure watch monitors differs from country to country. Please take your time to study user reviews carefully to make sure that a chosen device will fit your usability requirements, i.e. size, weight, battery life etc.
For those interested in technical details, the article [2] by Dr Paolo Bonato, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, explains the technology used in blood pressure watch monitors.
Are Blood Pressure Watch Accurate?
Most manufactures provide references to scientific research confirming the accuracy of blood pressure measurements by their devices. Talk to your doctor to make sure that they will be comfortable with you using a particular device.
Blood Pressure Watch Apple?
Can you measure blood pressure with Apple Watch? As of December 2023 you can not take blood pressure readings with Apple Watch. There are some rumors that the new Apple Watch to be released in 2024 may have a blood pressure measurement feature but we will know this for sure only when this new model is released.
Blood Pressure Watch Garmin?
Garmin does have a blood pressure monitor in their product portfolio. It is called Garmin Index BPM smart blood pressure monitor. However it is made as an upper arm inflatable calf and definitely doesn’t qualify as a blood pressure watch.
Blood Pressure Watch Amazon?
We are not affiliated with Amazon but we definitely consider it as one of the best places to buy a blood pressure watch. In addition to competitive pricing you get a good understanding if a blood pressure monitoring feature is available for the particular device in your country. Also user feedback will help you to understand how this device fits your usability requirements.
Blood Pressure Watch for Seniors?
Please check the section Which is the right blood pressure watch for you.
What is the best blood pressure watch monitor?
With the current device availability and certification it is impossible to select the device which ticks all the boxes. Please check the section Which is the right blood pressure watch for you.
Can you measure blood pressure with a phone’s camera?
Some smartphone users think that they could measure blood pressure with their phone’s camera. The truth is that as of December 2023 such technology is simply not available.
There are several fake apps both on Google Play and Apple AppStore which advertise this feature. Do not get fooled by this false advertising. All blood pressure apps on smartphones require external sensors to take blood pressure readings: either blood pressure watch monitors or regular blood pressure monitors.
References:
1. Dr. Peter Attia: Improve Vitality, Emotional & Physical Health & Lifespan | Huberman Lab Podcast