Checking blood pressure is one of the most common ways doctors assess heart and blood vessel health.
High blood pressure affects millions of people around the world and is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and other serious conditions.
Despite its importance, the technology used to measure blood pressure has changed very little over the years. Most people still rely on an inflatable cuff that squeezes the arm and provides only a brief snapshot of what is happening at a single moment.
Researchers from the University of Utah and the University of Illinois Chicago believe there is a better way.
In a study published in Nature Communications, they describe a new smartwatch-like device that can continuously monitor blood pressure and blood flow without using an inflatable cuff. The technology could eventually help doctors and patients gain a much more complete picture of cardiovascular health throughout the day.
Traditional blood pressure measurements have important limitations. Whether the reading is taken at home or in a doctor’s office, it usually captures only a few seconds of information. Blood pressure naturally changes throughout the day depending on activity levels, stress, sleep, exercise, meals, and other factors. A single reading may not reflect these changes.
The research team compared traditional blood pressure measurements to a photograph. While a photograph captures one moment in time, it does not tell the full story.
Blood pressure behaves more like a movie, changing continuously from minute to minute. Researchers wanted to create a device capable of recording that movie rather than just taking occasional snapshots.
Unlike many existing wearable devices that use light-based sensors, the new system relies on a tiny electrical current that users cannot feel.
The device measures bioimpedance, which is a way of tracking how easily electricity travels through blood and surrounding tissues. Because blood flow changes with every heartbeat, these electrical signals contain valuable information about blood pressure.
The scientists combined these measurements with advanced artificial intelligence. However, unlike many AI systems that operate as a “black box,” the researchers built established scientific principles directly into the model.
The system incorporates knowledge from fluid dynamics, which describes how blood moves through blood vessels, and electromagnetism, which explains how electrical signals travel through tissues.
This approach allows the AI to make predictions that remain consistent with the laws of physics. Researchers believe this makes the results more reliable and easier for doctors to trust.
To evaluate the technology, the team tested the device on 150 people, including patients receiving intensive care and patients visiting outpatient clinics. By studying people with different health conditions, the researchers were able to examine how well the system performed across a wide range of situations.
The results suggest that the device can continuously monitor blood pressure while people go about their daily activities. Unlike conventional cuffs, which require users to sit still during measurement, the smartwatch could potentially track blood pressure while walking, exercising, climbing stairs, or performing routine activities.
One particularly important feature is that the device does not require individual calibration for each user. Many wearable blood pressure technologies need personal adjustments before they can provide accurate readings. Eliminating this requirement could make the technology easier to use on a large scale.
The researchers believe continuous monitoring could improve medical care in several ways. Doctors might be able to identify dangerous blood pressure patterns that are missed by occasional measurements.
Patients could receive earlier warnings about health problems. Continuous data may also help physicians better understand how medications affect blood pressure throughout the day.
The study represents an exciting step toward more advanced cardiovascular monitoring. One major strength of the research is its use of real-world patient testing combined with a strong scientific foundation based on physics.
However, the technology is still being developed and will require further testing before becoming widely available. If future studies confirm its accuracy and reliability, this cuff-free smartwatch could transform how blood pressure is monitored and help people better manage their cardiovascular health.
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.
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