If you’re one of those people who hate having your blood pressure taken, there’s good news. A new technology has been developed that enables cuffless noninvasive blood pressure monitoring by using ultrasonic to track real-time changes in vascular diameter — without the need for a traditional cuff. Conventional cuff-based blood pressure monitoring has several limitations, including patient discomfort with arm cuff inflation, and limited frequency of readings. Cuffless blood pressure devices have the potential to remove barriers to blood pressure measurement. Several of these devices have been cleared by the FDA and are being used clinically. The only way to diagnose and monitor hypertension is through accurate blood pressure measurement, but for many people, the measurements taken in a doctor’s office differ greatly from those taken at home. There are several reasons for that. Some patients are petrified of having their blood pressure taken, which means it usually climbs once they get into the doctor’s office. There’s also incorrect procedures that are being used in taking blood pressure, like having the patient’s arm in an incorrect position or the patient talking while the reading is being taken. Another big issue is that most of these devices haven’t undergone any kind of calibration to evaluate if they are correct. A cuffless device can be worn during the day and night, allowing patients to track blood pressure patterns across a 24-hour cycle. For patients for whom blood pressure readings have become a nightmare, the cuffless blood pressure device could be the answer to controlling hypertension.
