The Troubling Truth About Fitness Trackers' Blood Pressure Readings
Researchers uncover limitations in fitness trackers' ability to monitor a crucial physiological indicator
Fitness trackers, from smartwatches to rings, are marketed as effortless health monitors, especially for heart health. However, some concern arises when it comes to their promised accuracy in blood pressure tracking.
A worrying study from the University of Washington School of Medicine shed light on this issue, revealing certain smart devices frequently display inaccurate blood pressure measurements. This mismanagement can potentially overlook serious health issues like strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure, and dementia when high blood pressure goes unnoticed.
The experts warned doctors, as well as the general public, to remain skeptical about trusting these trackers' readings and instead resort to traditional inflatable cuff monitors. The report comes at a time when NHS data indicates over four million people in England are unaware of their high blood pressure, often dubbed as a 'silent killer' due to its symptomless nature.
Complications from high blood pressure are well-known; they can lead to fatal heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease, even dementia. To help combat this, adults aged 40 to 74 are advised to undergo a blood pressure check every five years as part of the NHS Health Check.
But the report also highlights a major flaw in some fitness trackers, which could risk health issues being overlooked.
Dr. Eugene Yang from the University of Washington School of Medicine commented, 'Cuffless devices seem attractive to patients and clinicians, but they still have a long way to go before they are prepared for clinical use.'
One major drawback of cuffless devices is their reliance on sensors that need regular calibration with a traditional cuff. If users don't recalibrate frequently, the readings can drift. Furthermore, these devices tend to be less reliable during certain situations like sleep, exercise, or rapid blood pressure changes.
What's more, factors like skin tone, body size, and medical conditions (e.g., irregular heart rhythms and diabetes) can impact sensors' readings. The researchers also drew attention to the fact that many devices on the market have not undergone proper independent testing, raising the risk of misinformation.
Health experts earlier viewed fitness trackers as a prospective tool to increase public engagement in maintaining their health, given that over a quarter of the population owns them. Offering metrics like heart rate, oxygen levels, sleep patterns, and step count, fitness trackers seem practical monitoring aids. However, for blood pressure monitoring, older methods might still be unchallenged.
In essence, fitness trackers could be valuable initial screening tools, encouraging individuals to seek professional medical attention if readings raise concerns. Yet, whenever blood pressure readings seem suspicious, it's crucial to consult with a healthcare professional for accurate diagnoses and treatment. It's also advisable to stick to traditional cuff-based monitors for consistent and dependable measurements when specifically monitoring or managing high blood pressure.
- Fitness trackers, despite their promise of effortless heart health monitoring, have raised concerns due to their inaccurate blood pressure reading capabilities, as revealed by a study from the University of Washington School of Medicine.
- Experts recommend considering traditional inflatable cuff monitors for reliable blood pressure readings, especially in light of the potential inaccuracies shown by smart fitness devices in some circumstances.
- A major flaw in cuffless devices lies in their dependence on sensors that require regular calibration with a traditional cuff, and their margins of error may increase if users do not recalibrate frequently.
- Health experts have cautioned that fitness trackers should not be blindly trusted for blood pressure monitoring, as factors like skin tone, body size, medical conditions, and irregular testing procedures can compromise the sensor readings' accuracy.
