Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate? (2024)

FAQs

How reliable are wrist blood pressure monitors? ›

Some wrist blood pressure monitors may be accurate if used exactly as directed and checked against measurements taken in your provider's office. For the most reliable blood pressure measurement, the American Heart Association recommends using a monitor with a cuff that goes around your upper arm, when available.

One in nine participants (11 percent) had wrist systolic pressure readings that were lower by 5 mmHg or more than their upper arm reading. On average, wrist systolic blood pressure was 12.9 mmHg higher than systolic pressure measured in the aorta, the main artery delivering blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Choosing a home blood pressure monitor

The AHA recommends an automatic, cuff-style, upper arm (biceps) monitor. Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended. They give less reliable readings.

Most monitors you find in a drugstore or online are fine, Dr. Laffin says. But it doesn't hurt to take it to your doctor's office and check yours against the office monitor. “If the systolic blood pressure (the top number) on your cuff is within 10 points of the monitor, then it's generally accurate,” he says.

Cuffs snugly wrapped, but too small for the subject, gave high BP readings, on the average by approximately 10 mm Hg. Loose wrapping of small cuffs gave variable results in individual subjects that exaggerated systolic BP from 2 to 80 mm Hg.

Which arm should you measure blood pressure in? It's a good idea to have your blood pressure measured in both arms at least once, since the reading in one arm (usually the right) may be higher than that in the left. In general, the arm-to-arm difference in systolic blood pressure is 5 points or less.

Blood pressure readings tend to skew higher when measured with wrist monitors. In fact, the American Heart Association (AHA) advises against wrist blood measures for home monitoring. According to the AHA, home monitors that are used on the upper arm are generally more accurate.

You can prepare for the day, but don't eat breakfast or take medications before measuring your blood pressure. If you exercise after waking, take your blood pressure before exercising. Avoid food, caffeine, tobacco and alcohol for 30 minutes before taking a reading. Also, empty your bladder first.

The best blood pressure machine is determined by an individual's needs and preferences. However, Omron bp machines are known for their accuracy and reliability. It is clinically validated, user-friendly, and suits your specific requirements.

You should place it tight enough so that you can only slip two fingertips under the top edge of the cuff. Make sure your skin doesn't pinch when the cuff inflates. To get started, wait a moment, then press start. Remain still and quiet as the machine begins measuring.

Are cheap blood pressure monitors accurate? ›

In a letter published May 2, 2023, in JAMA, an international team of researchers reported findings indicating that the vast majority of top-selling blood pressure monitors sold on a popular website are not validated for accuracy. And using a nonvalidated device might threaten your health.

Answer From Fouad Chebib, M.D. Blood pressure measurements that are higher at your home than at your health care provider's office could be caused by an error in measuring your blood pressure at home. It also might be due to a decrease in your stress level at your provider's office.

Are wrist blood pressure monitors accurate? Healthcare providers generally recommend upper arm blood pressure monitors as the gold standard for accuracy. However, wrist blood pressure monitors can produce accurate readings when: You closely follow the instructions for how to use the monitor.

Blood pressure has a daily pattern. Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening.

Everyone's blood pressure rises and falls many times during the course of a single day, sometimes even within minutes. Many factors contribute to these changes, including physical activity, emotion, body position, diet (especially salt and alcohol intake), and sleep deprivation.

Wrist- or forearm-located wearables: These tend to be very accurate when you're resting or walking. Many of these devices are also very accurate if you're running or cycling. Using your arms for exercise activities — like with an elliptical that has hand levers to work your arms — can cause inaccurate readings.

Investigators at Johns Hopkins recently conducted a randomized controlled trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine and discovered an automated BP monitor overestimated systolic blood pressure (the top number) by between 5 to 20 mm Hg in patients for whom standard cuff size was too small and underestimated it by 4 mm ...