The Advent of Cuffless Mobile Device Blood Pressure Measurement: Remaining Challenges and Pitfalls

ABSTRACT

Blood pressure measurement (BPM) is an essential part of medical examination, and therefore accuracy of BPM devices is crucial. Over the past few years, there has been a rise in new BPM techniques using photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals and complex algorithms for blood pressure estimation. Especially the combination of a mobile device or a smartphone with a camera using PPG may potentially revolutionize BPM in the future. The first-ever BPM application to be approved as a medical device was one by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2020, despite the lack of robust scientific evidence proving its validity. While the prospect of using these novel BPM devices is an opportunity, there are also some critical issues around calibration and utility in different patient groups that need to be resolved before they can be incorporated into daily clinical practice.