New HeartGuide Watch FDA-Approved Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor

New HeartGuide Watch is the First FDA-Approved Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately one in three adults in the U.S. suffers from high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, and vision loss.

This past December, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Omron Healthcare’s new HeartGuide, which is the first wearable blood pressure monitor. Omron Healthcare is already known for making some of the highest-rated home blood pressure monitors available on today’s market. Combined with the new HeartAdvisor app, the new HeartGuide system allows individuals to proactively monitor their heart health in real-time throughout the day.

The new HeartGuide is worn as a wristwatch and utilizes the oscillometric cuff method, which works similarly to blood pressure cuffs used during a typical doctor’s visit. A thin airbag rests underneath the HeartGuide’s watchband. The wearer must raise their arm, then with the touch of a button, the airbag will slowly increase around your wrist over the course of 30 to 40 seconds.

After each reading, the watch wirelessly uploads the results to the HeartAdvisor app, and the results can be shared with the individual’s doctor either as a pdf export or by being transferred into Apple’s health care records. The HeartAdvisor program can store up to 100 blood pressure recordings at a time, and all data is shared in HIPAA-compliant databases.

The Health Benefits of the New HeartGuide

Being able to easily take and monitor blood pressure readings has several potential benefits.

1. It can help detect high blood pressure that may not show up if you only have your blood pressure checked at the doctor’s office.

2. It can indicate if you have high blood pressure regularly, or only while you are in the doctor’s office (due to nerves).

3. It can help those who are at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke easily monitor their daily activity, including diet, exercise, and medication, to see how it impacts their systolic and diastolic pressure over the course of the day.

4. It can help individuals better monitor how their lifestyle directly affects their heart health by providing accurate, detailed, and usable data throughout the day.

Additional Features

In addition to blood pressure readings, the new device records daily activities, including the number of steps taken, distance walked, and calories burned. It also tracks pulse and quality of sleep, which can impact blood pressure. However, the device is not just for medical use. It also works as a smartwatch, keeping up with calls, texts, and emails.

The HeartGuide is currently available in a medium size for $499, with the small and large sizes expected to be released later this year. The HeartAdvisor app, which is included with the purchase of the watch, is expected to regularly include additional and upgraded features.