The Rapid Evolution of Continuous Blood Pressure Measurement: Future Considerations

BACKGROUND: There exists an accelerating pace of availability and expanding variety of new blood pressure (BP) measurement technologies worldwide that seek to measure BP in entirely different ways than through the traditional "BP Cuff" commonly used for office and home measurements. A growing number of these devices are viewed by many clinicians and patients as potentially complementary sources of data when combined with office and home readings. However, wearable devices are intentionally designed to provide a more patient-centered experience and may have an important future potential to replace these traditional methods. METHODS: BP is a continuous biologic variable (like body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygenation, etc.) that can now be measured much differently than by commonly used methods of obtaining random serial point in time BP measurements. For example, new technologies now exist that can combine beat-to-beat BP measurements (3,600 measures per hour on average) with additional complex physiologic data such as 24-h BP variability and real-time vascular biomechanical phenomena, including pulse wave amplitude, velocity, and contour analysis. RESULTS: Such data could provide previously unavailable information for identifying potential new therapies for reducing modifiable vascular and endothelial dysfunction, thereby reducing the risk and progression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: Patients and their clinicians may soon be able to demystify extensive continuous personal BP measurement patterns from this evolutionary process through meaningful correlation with daily and life activities, and hence further achieve optimal cardiovascular health.