Smartwatches, rings, and other wearable devices are becoming more common, and many of them now say they can measure blood pressure without using the traditional arm cuff.
These new “cuffless” devices are easy to use and can track blood pressure throughout the day and night.
However, a new scientific report warns that they are not yet reliable enough to be used for diagnosing or treating high blood pressure.
The American Heart Association recently published a statement in the journal Hypertension that explains the current limitations of these cuffless devices.
This statement supports the 2025 guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, which recommend against using these devices for making medical decisions until they are proven to be more accurate.
High blood pressure is a major health problem, affecting nearly half of adults in the U.S. That’s about 122 million people.
It’s also the number one preventable cause of heart disease, stroke, and other serious conditions like kidney disease and dementia. Around the world, 1.4 billion people have high blood pressure, and most live in countries with limited healthcare resources.
Cuffless devices use technology like sensors and lights to estimate blood pressure. Some use photoplethysmography, which measures how much light is absorbed by blood vessels.
Others use tonometry to detect pressure waves in arteries. Some devices need to be calibrated using a traditional cuff, while others include details like your age, weight, or height to make estimates.
While some devices have received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this does not mean they are fully tested for accuracy. In fact, FDA clearance does not require standardized accuracy testing.
Research shows that about 80% of blood pressure devices sold around the world have never been officially tested for accuracy, and cuffless devices are even less likely to be validated.
One of the main problems is that these devices can produce many readings throughout the day—including during activities like sleep or exercise, when blood pressure isn’t normally measured.
This can cause confusion and lead to incorrect health decisions. Without knowing how accurate the readings are, it’s hard for doctors to know whether they should adjust medications or diagnose someone with high blood pressure.
In some cases, factors like skin color, arm position, or whether the device was recently calibrated can affect the accuracy of the results. This raises concerns, especially if people rely on these readings to manage their health.
The researchers behind the statement say that more testing and better standards are needed before cuffless devices can be used safely in medical care.
They also say that if these devices can eventually be validated, they could help more people—especially in communities with limited access to healthcare—get screened and treated for high blood pressure.
For now, the advice is simple: if you use a smartwatch, ring, or other wearable device to check your blood pressure, make sure to tell your doctor. These devices can be helpful for tracking trends, but should not be used for making health decisions unless they are proven accurate. For important readings, it’s best to use a validated arm cuff device.
Cuffless devices have great potential in the future, but more research, transparency, and better rules are needed before they can replace traditional monitors. Until then, it’s important to use proven tools when it comes to managing your blood pressure.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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