New devices could change the way we measure blood pressure
By Matías A . Loewy
Embedded in a cell phone or in accessories such as rings , bracelets or watches , the novel tools aim to make it easier to manage hypertension . But they must still pass several tests before hitting the clinic .
If just by looking at our watch or cell phone we can know , in real time , our heart rate , the number of steps we take , the calories we burn and the hours of sleep we got the night before , why can ’ t we also know our blood pressure ?
Blood pressure is the force that the blood exerts against the arterial walls . It is defined by two values : systolic , or maximum pressure , which is the thrust of the blood pumped through the body by the contraction of the heart ; and diastolic , or minimum pressure , which occurs when the heart relaxes . The American Heart Association considers blood pressure to be normal when it does not exceed pressures of 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic — which we see presented as 120 / 80 mmHg .
When values are below 90 / 60 mmHg , the person is exhibiting hypotension . In athletes , this may be asymptomatic and without risk . But in other circumstances , it causes symptoms such as dizziness , nausea , pallor , blurred vision , confusion and fainting , because the brain isn ’ t receiving enough blood . Very low blood pressure can be life-threatening because of shock , a state where organs suffer damage due to lack of blood flow . This is more common in the elderly and can be precipitated by sudden changes in position , dehydration , infections , bleeding , certain medications and diseases such as Parkinson ’ s and diabetes .
Above 140 / 90 mmHg , the person is said to have high blood pressure . Researchers have calculated that in people ages 40 to 69 , for every 20 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure and 10 mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure , the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke doubles . Worldwide , some 1.28 billion people between the ages of 30 and 78 have hypertension , most of them living in low- and middle-income countries , and more than half of them are not treated , according to a 2021 study published in The Lancet . This is despite the fact that hypertension can be easily detected by measuring blood pressure — at home or in a health facility — and can often be effectively treated with low-cost medications .
Today , a new generation of blood pressure devices aims to make it easier to diagnose — and control — hypertension . Unlike traditional devices , they do without the arm cuff and offer blood pressure values on demand , should the user press their finger on a sensor , or continuously , if measured by a watch , ring or bracelet .
“ Regular blood pressure monitoring in all adults would improve hypertension awareness . For those who have hypertension , it may improve their control ,” says Ramakrishna Mukkamala , a bioelectrical engineer at the University of Pittsburgh , who coauthored a look at blood pressure 30 Accessibilty for All To Table of Contents