High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, affecting approximately 1.28 billion adults worldwide. It's also the leading cause of premature death in the world.
In the UK, around a third of adults have high blood pressure, although according to the NHS, many won't be aware they have it.
New research has highlighted the benefits of cuffless monitoring, which can help users track their blood pressure daily, seamlessly and painlessly.
This will allow for early diagnosis, intervention, continuous health management and better health outcomes at substantially lower costs. By continuously monitoring your blood pressure throughout the day and being aware of all the hidden warning signs, it could help save lives.
Blood pressure management
New data published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers demonstrates the clear benefits of cuffless blood pressure monitoring in helping to manage the condition.
The research is the first time cuffless devices have been compared to traditional cuffs.
Based on their findings the paper’s authors, a group of leading clinical and academic experts in blood pressure, are calling on international scientific and expert associations to include cuffless BP monitors in future versions of guidelines and standards.
The research draws a clear conclusion that the cuffless device provides a richer and more representative picture of a person’s blood pressure over time.
By being aware of your reading, a person can take the preventative measures to help lower their blood pressure and further reduce the risk of potentially life-threatening conditions.
Using real-world, clinical trial, and observational data from people using Aktiia, the world’s first continual cuffless blood pressure monitor worn at the wrist, the paper compares readings to those from traditional methods in a number of scenarios.
It draws a clear conclusion that the cuffless device provides a richer and more representative picture of a person’s blood pressure over time.
“The ability to measure blood pressure automatically without disrupting the patient’s day is the real game-changer with cuffless devices,” comments Doctor Jay Shah, Chief Medical Officer at Aktiia and a practising cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic.
“Cuffless allows many more readings to be taken throughout a person’s day and over long periods of time, which unlocks the concept of ‘time in target range’ as opposed to a snapshot reading to try to assess a patient’s blood pressure.
“For example, there is a known association between cardiovascular risk and night-time BP, but getting an accurate picture of how a person’s blood pressure behaves at night has been elusive until now.
“The benefits of automatic and continual readings must not be underestimated - it’s an incredibly exciting time.”
What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?
According to the British Heart Foundation, signs may include:
- Blurred vision
- Nosebleeds
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Headaches.
Nosebleeds
According to some studies, nosebleeds could be an early warning sign of hypertension.
In a Korean study published in JAMA Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, researchers studied 35,749 people with an average age of 52.
All participants suffered with high blood pressure with researchers matching them to a control group of 35,749 with normal blood pressure.
They tracked spontaneous nosebleeds in each group which included nosebleeds not caused by trauma, surgery or disease and followed them over a period of 14 years.
The study found that patients with high blood pressure had a 47% increased risk for nosebleeds.
