Time: 2024-06-29
The management of hypertension is crucial due to its global impact on health, with one in every two adults affected by high blood pressure. Despite this, only a quarter of individuals have their hypertension under control, highlighting the need for more effective strategies. A recent study conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, USA, has evaluated a novel cuffless wrist monitor developed by Aktiia SA in Neuchatel, Switzerland. This device utilizes optical sensors to automatically measure blood pressure at the wrist, generating hundreds of readings quickly. This innovation has the potential to enhance how clinicians assess cardiovascular risk and manage hypertension, showcasing promising advancements in diagnosing hypertension and managing treatment through the use of innovative technologies.
The study focused on the concept of Time-in-Target-Range (TTR), which tracks the duration a patient's blood pressure remains within the normal range. Traditional cuffs for blood pressure monitoring have limitations in providing frequent readings necessary for accurate TTR calculations. The cuffless wrist monitor evaluated in the study collected over 2.2 million blood pressure readings from 5,189 participants across Europe and the U.K., with an average of 29 readings per day and 434 readings per participant over 15 days. This continuous monitoring allowed researchers to stratify participants' risk based on the percentage of readings within the target range, showcasing the potential of cuffless technology in improving hypertension risk classification accuracy.
Hypertension misclassification is common in clinical settings, where individuals may experience 'white coat hypertension' or 'masked hypertension,' affecting the accuracy of blood pressure readings. By integrating at-home blood pressure monitoring with cuffless devices, inaccuracies found in clinical settings can be mitigated. The study's findings suggest that continuous monitoring for a week with cuffless technology is necessary to achieve over 90% accuracy in classifying hypertension risk, marking a significant shift in the paradigm of blood pressure monitoring and hypertension management.
Dr. Naomi Fisher from Brigham and Women's Hospital emphasizes the importance of cuffless devices in collecting continual out-of-office blood pressure readings. These data can be used to calculate new metrics like Time-in-Target-Range, which shows promise as a predictor of cardiovascular risk. The study, published in Frontiers in Medicine on June 25, 2024, highlights the potential impact of cuffless technology in revolutionizing how hypertension is managed and monitored. With advancements in blood pressure monitoring, clinicians can enhance their approach to assessing cardiovascular risk and improving hypertension treatment outcomes, ultimately benefiting individuals worldwide.
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