Wrist Blood Pressure

What is a wrist blood pressure monitor?

A wrist blood pressure monitor is a device you use on your own to measure your blood pressure (BP). Most monitors have a cuff that you wrap around your wrist. The cuff attaches to a digital display screen that shows your BP readings.

Wrist blood pressure monitors also come in wearable forms that you can wear just like a watch. Wearable devices may track other information like your workouts and sleep.

A wrist blood pressure monitor can help you track your BP during your normal daily routine. This gives you and your healthcare provider an in-depth, extended look at your BP outside your provider’s office. However, because wrist monitors usually aren’t as accurate as upper arm monitors, providers only recommend them in certain situations.

To get the most accurate readings from a wrist blood pressure monitor, place your hand on your chest so your wrist is at the level of your heart.

Wrist vs. arm blood pressure monitor

Arm blood pressure monitors and most wrist blood pressure monitors come with cuffs that you wrap around a portion of your arm. Both types of monitors measure the pressure of blood as it moves through arteries in your upper body. However, they measure this pressure at different spots along your arm.

A wrist blood pressure monitor takes its measurements at your radial artery near where your wrist meets your hand. An arm blood pressure monitor takes its measurements higher up, at your brachial artery in your upper arm.

Your blood pressure may naturally be different at these two points — your wrist and your upper arm. That’s because blood pressure changes as it moves through different arteries in your body. Research shows that some people have higher systolic blood pressure in their radial artery compared with their brachial artery.

This is why it’s important to use at-home devices under the guidance of a healthcare provider. They’ll help you interpret the numbers and explain any differences between readings at home and readings at your provider’s office.

When might I need a wrist blood pressure monitor?

You may need a wrist BP monitor if your healthcare provider wants you to monitor your BP at home. At-home monitoring can be helpful if:

• You received a high blood pressure (hypertension) or low blood pressure (hypotension) diagnosis.
• You have risk factors for high blood pressure.
• You’re starting new blood pressure medication and your provider wants to see how well it’s working.
• You’re pregnant.
• Your provider thinks you have white coat hypertension (high BP at your provider’s office but not at home) or masked hypertension (high BP at home but not when your provider checks it).

If you need at-home monitoring, providers usually recommend a cuff-style upper arm monitor. This is similar to the device your provider uses in their office to measure your BP. However, for some people, a wrist blood pressure monitor is a better choice.

Is a wrist blood pressure monitor right for me?

Before you purchase any blood pressure monitor, it’s important to talk to your provider about what’s best for you. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends monitors with cuffs that fit on your upper arm, rather than your wrist. That’s because monitors that measure your BP on your upper arm are typically more reliable.

However, a wrist blood pressure monitor may be appropriate for you if:

• A cuff-style monitor doesn’t fit well on your upper arm.
• You have medical conditions that make an upper arm device unsafe or painful for you.

Your healthcare provider is the best person to decide if a wrist blood pressure monitor is suitable for you. They’ll know if there are reasons why a cuff-style monitor wouldn’t work well for you. They can also tell you how best to use your wrist blood pressure monitor to get the most accurate results.

Are wrist blood pressure monitors accurate?

Healthcare providers generally recommend upper arm blood pressure monitors as the gold standard for accuracy. However, wrist blood pressure monitors can produce accurate readings when:

• You closely follow the instructions for how to use the monitor. These include putting your arm into the proper position (explained further below).
• You use a device from the American Medical Association’s list of validated blood pressure monitors.

Wrist blood pressure monitors are more accurate than fingertip monitors, which you should avoid using. You can bring your wrist cuff with you to your next appointment so that your healthcare provider can validate the device against one in the office.

How do I use a wrist blood pressure monitor?

Before using your new device, take it to your healthcare provider to check it for accuracy. Your provider can measure your BP on the wrist monitor and compare it against an upper arm monitor in the office. This will help show if your device can give you accurate readings at home.

To get the most out of your monitor, you should:

• Use the proper form.
• Keep a blood pressure log and share it with your healthcare provider.
• Learn what’s normal for you.

Use the proper form

Having the wrong form when using your monitor can lead to inaccurate BP readings. When you take your device to your provider, ask them to show you the proper form. It can help to see and practice the form before trying it on your own.

At home, follow these guidelines:

1. Avoid coffee, tobacco products and exercise for 30 minutes before taking your BP. Also, use the bathroom and sit still for five minutes before getting started.
2. Choose which arm you’ll use. This is the arm that needs to have proper form. Your other arm can be wherever is most comfortable for you.
3. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
4. Position your chair so you have a flat surface (like a table) right in front of you.
5. Put the cuff on your wrist and secure it in place.
6. Place your elbow onto the table.
7. Gently place your hand on your chest so that your wrist is at the level of your heart.
8. Relax and stay in this position before starting your BP measurement.
9. Measure your BP without moving or talking.

When measuring your BP, it’s important to avoid:

• Having your wrist above or below the level of your heart.
• Resting your wrist on the table or your lap.
• Having your arm in a vertical position (like hanging down at your side).

Keep a blood pressure log

Your device may store BP readings in its memory. Even so, you should write down all of your BP readings in a notebook that you can share with your provider. You may also find blood pressure logs online that you can download and print.

Ask your provider what you should record in your log. Here are some general tips to get you started:

• Include the date and time of each reading.
• Take your BP twice per day — such as before breakfast and before bedtime. Each time, take two measurements with about one minute in between. This means you would have four readings per day in your log. Your provider will give you guidance about how many days per week to check your blood pressure.
• Write down notes that seem relevant for the day. For example, make a note if work was very stressful, you had trouble sleeping or you felt sick. Your provider may also want you to write down when you take certain medications.

Learn what’s normal for you

Some people naturally have lower blood pressure, such as 90/60 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). For others, such low BP could signal a problem. Before you start using a wrist blood pressure monitor or another at-home device, it’s important to ask your healthcare provider:

• What’s a normal blood pressure range for me?
• What BP would be high for me?
• What BP would be low for me?
• When should I call you about my BP readings?

When should I seek medical help?

If your blood pressure is newly elevated to 180/120 mmHg or above, you’re having symptoms of high blood pressure or you don’t feel well and are concerned about your blood pressure, you may be having a hypertensive crisis, which is a medical emergency. Call 911 or your local emergency number right away.

Call your healthcare provider if:

• Your BP is higher or lower than usual for you.
• You have trouble using your home monitor.
• You have questions about what the numbers should be.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Before buying a wrist blood pressure monitor, talk to a healthcare provider. There are many available devices on the market, and it can be hard to tell which ones are most suitable for you.

Plus, remember that at-home devices aren’t substitutes for medical care. They’re meant to supplement the measurements and advice of a healthcare provider. Be sure to visit a provider to get your blood pressure and other vital signs checked on a regular basis.