Wrist blood pressure monitors - as accurate as the upper arm cuff ones?

My cuff based one was as accurate as the doctors as i used to measure it before seeing him/her. I did have to buy a new cuff as I inherited large biceps from my dad so the OEM ones never fitted.
Wouldn't trust a wrist one.

I have both, they give near enough the same readings.

I used to have both but the wrist one was pretty rubbish… albeit fairly old.

The arm one I have is the same Omron model as my GP had.

I bough a garmin (upper arm cuff) monitor from the US on ebay (they might be available here now anyway) as spending a little more to keep the readings in the same environment as my watch and scale was worth it to me.

It is quite simple to use, I keep it on the bedside table and  use it nearly every morning before I get out of bed.

Omron are very good.

Wrist monitors are not accurate because your wrist isn’t at heart level.

That is why they’re not recommended.

Also, don’t measure your blood pressure too often, for the vast majority of people there is no benefit. Annually, or six monthly is fine, unless there has been a change in your circumstances such as a new medication.

Do not measure your blood pressure when you are stressed or feel unwell. It will likely be high. This is not useful information, and is more likely to contribute to a blood pressure phobia.

Wrist monitors are not accurate because your wrist isn’t at heart level.

That is why they’re not recommended.

I can get my wrist and heart to be at the same level quite easily ;-). Presumably if its a significant factor its in the IFU and they are only not recommended for people who can't read?

Also, don’t measure your blood pressure too often, for the vast majority of people there is no benefit. Annually, or six monthly is fine, unless there has been a change in your circumstances such as a new medication.

My GP has had me measure very regularly over a period of one or two weeks to get a kind of working average for comparison.

I get it done every two weeks at plasma donation these days anyway so use that as a guide.

Boots home brand are Omron - £16.12 and stock check / collect to avoid postage if convenient - https://www.boots.com/boots-pharmaceuticals-blood-pressure-monitor-upper-arm-unit-10217394

Wrist monitors are not accurate because your wrist isn’t at heart level.

Mine won't start measuring unless the wrist is at heart level.

I have one of those aktiaa ones.  It needs syncing with their cuff once a month and I then wear the wrist monitor continuously. It s supposed to be medically reviewed and accurate. It gives a guide as to where my bp is rather so I don’t use it for an absolute reading, more for monitoring trend. I can send the graph to my doc by email for my bp review. Essentially it means I am proactively monitoring bp and feel less stressed about it that using a cuff more regularly or not using a cuff.

I have a Z18 Smart Watch from the Dancing Dragon Watch Factory and it's stop on. But sometimes it even struggles with the time.

Can't seem to lock the screen :(, so does all sorts of strange things, when my cuff or something else touches it.

Is the Huawei GT2 any good. Anyone admit to having one ?. And can you make your own watches faces ?

Note: for the internet. If anyone knows how to hack it let me know.

Wrist monitors are not accurate because your wrist isn’t at heart level.

That is why they’re not recommended.

Oops, just double checked on the British Hypertension Society website and some wrist monitors are now recommended.

This is the problem with medicine, as we make progress, the data changes.

I have one of those aktiaa ones

Thanks for posting. I’ve looked for something like that before but drew a blank.

You want one that's been validated by the British and Irish Hypertension Society.

List here.