The best blood pressure watches you can buy, according to medical research

There are not as many options today for blood pressure watches as there are for smartwatches, but rumors indicate that the technology and functionality will likely expand to more popular smartwatches in the near future. Here are a few factors to consider, based on our years of experience testing wearables:

• Capability: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, and other supported Galaxy Watch models, require that you measure and baseline your blood pressure readings with a certified external monitor and enter that data into the app. The watch then measures the incremental changes from that baseline and provides your blood pressure reading. Other watches in this list use an inflatable cuff to measure your blood pressure directly.
• Other functions: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a full blown smartwatch that runs Google's Wear OS, but other watches in this list focus primarily on capturing your blood pressure and providing you with the time and data. Make sure you check out the functions available in the watch and evaluate whether or not you need more from your blood pressure watch.
• Fit and comfort: Anyone that has captured their blood pressure reading knows that placement of the blood pressure monitor is important in capturing accurate readings. Thus, the watch you use for your blood pressure should also fit well and be comfortable as you capture your readings. A blood pressure watch is used primarily for convenience and the ability to easily capture your readings throughout the day so comfort and fit are vital to success.

One obstacle we ran into when choosing the best blood pressure watches was the lack of options. The concept of a blood pressure watch itself seems to be embraced by many, but we found the execution to be less robust.

With few options on the market, it is easy to weed out the fake or unreliable wearables from the legit ones. We took into consideration a few major factors when choosing these best blood pressure watches:

• Commercial availability: For example, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro still does not have FDA approval in the United States for blood pressure readings, so that feature isn't an option for the US market.
• Accuracy: We looked at evidence of accuracy from studies and medical research when choosing what blood pressure watches to consider.
• Data privacy: Health information is extremely important to keep secure with wearables, so we looked into each brand and device's privacy protocols to ensure consumers' health data is safe.
• Price: We kept price in mind when making our final picks, while also knowing there aren't many options on the market. However, more economical wearables don't seem as reliable or as focused on data privacy. 

We know, a watch that measures blood pressure sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. Recent advances mean that futuristic wearables are becoming more realistic than ever before. Blood pressure watches that are vetted and tested really do work, but I recommend talking to your doctor before use.

In an article featured in IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine, Dr. Paolo Bonato, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, identified four areas of focus that are especially important when understanding recent advances in wearables: 1) wearable sensors; 2) wearable systems; 3) signal processing and analysis procedures; and 4) closed-loop systems for adaptive orthoses and prostheses. 

The first three areas are important in blood pressure monitoring, as sensors and systems feed into analysis and recommendations by doctors. Here's a comprehensive paper on wearable tech in healthcare that Dr. Bonato contributed to for those who want to learn more.

According to Healthline, the blood pressure range for a hypertension crisis is a systolic number above 180 mm Hg and a diastolic number above 120 mm Hg. Immediate medical attention is required at that level. 

Healthy blood pressure is a reading of less than 120/80 mmHg, while elevated blood pressure ranges from a systolic number of 120-129 mm Hg and a diastolic number of less than 80 mmHg. 

Hypertension occurs starting at 130-139/80-89 mmHg. It's good to have an idea of where your blood pressure should fall. Hypertension doesn't result in visible symptoms right away, so it's important to detect and manage it early on.

You cannot measure blood pressure with an Apple Watch alone. You can link it to a compatible blood pressure monitor and synchronize your blood pressure data to your Apple Watch. The Omron Evolv wireless blood pressure monitor is a compatible device, and the iHealth Feel wireless blood pressure monitor works, too.

The blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch measures the percentage of oxygen your red blood cells carry from your lungs to the rest of your body. It's an important health metric since it can help you better understand your overall wellness. 

According to a 2022 medical study, the measurement of blood oxygen levels (in an Apple Watch Series 6) was not yet up to the medical standard of pulse oximetry, too large a proportion of the measurements remain either unsuccessful or incorrect. Studies have not been conducted on the most recent Apple Watch models. 

*Important Note: Earlier this year, a US federal judge has ruled that Apple cannot sell its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches if they have the blood oxygen sensor, due to a patent violation. As a result, a ban was placed on the import of all Apple watches with the feature. Apple Watch users in the US are no longer able to access the blood oxygen monitor app or sensors. 

High blood pressure is equal to or greater than 140 over 90 mmHg, where the top number is a measure of the force in your arteries as your heart beats and pumps blood, and the bottom number is a measure of the force in your arteries as your heart is resting between beats. 

At this time, there are no other reliable blood pressure watches available to the wider market. However, the alternatives below have plenty of other health-tracking features that are worth considering.