Patients' blood pressure is measured using blood pressure cuffs. The cuff is made up of an inflatable rubber bladder that wraps around the arm. Furthermore, post-inflation, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure can be recorded, allowing hypertension problems to be recognised. There are three types of blood pressure cuffs on the market: mercury-based, aneroid (mechanical), and digital. Digital blood pressure cuffs are automatic, inflating and deflating with the push of a button, whereas mercury-based and aneroid blood pressure cuffs are manual and require a stethoscope to monitor the patients' systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Leading manufacturers are concentrating their efforts on developing goods for the global blood pressure cuffs market. In 2019, Omron Corporation, for example, released Heartguide, the first blood pressure monitor in the shape of a wristwatch. The Heartguide bracelet is equipped with an inflatable cuff that inflates and records the patients' blood pressure. The device can take up to 100 readings, which are then uploaded to the Heartadvisor smartphone app. The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) authorised Heartguide in December 2018.
Furthermore, another market participant, Withings, is awaiting FDA approval for their product BPM Core, which is a 3-in-1 device that can measure blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG), and operate as a stethoscope when put near the heart, as well as monitor valvular heart problems in patients.
Prevalence of hypertension has been reported globally and it is prevalent in all age groups due to factors such as obesity, diabetes, lack of physical activity, old age, and genetics. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2019, heart disease and stroke are first and third leading cause of death in the world respectively and around 1.13 billion people suffered from hypertension, mostly in low and middle income countries.
There are some drawbacks reported in the use of digital blood pressure cuffs. For instance, the digital blood pressure cuffs available in the market can be used by patients directly for their personal use, for measurement of blood pressure. The improper size and positioning of the cuffs on the arm, may result in error in recording the blood pressure and may lead to improper diagnosis of the condition. The conventional blood pressure monitoring device are alternatives for the digital blood pressure devices such as mercury-based blood pressure measuring devices and mechanical blood pressure measuring devices, which are used in clinics and the point-of-care services record the accurate blood pressure as compared to the digital devices.
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