A new gadget called iHealth was unveiled at this years Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that enables users to track, chart and share your blood pressure information on an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

The iHealth Blood Pressure Monitoring System is battery-powered docking station and blood pressure arm cuff for use with Apple devices and is being reported as a potentially exciting way to combine Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad with home blood pressure monitoring devices.

The kit includes a glossy white plastic dock (battery powered) and an arm cuff that interface with your iOS device using a Dock Connector, relying upon a free iHealth application to inflate the cuff, take measurements and then display realtime results of your blood pressure readings.

Early reactions to the iHealth Blood Pressure Monitoring System

In all seriousness, this seems like a good product. I know people who monitor their BP regularly, and had ‘scares’ at doctors’ offices because they were nervous at those settings, when their measured BP at home hadn’t been above normal.

One concern: does the ‘app’  have adequate security? Does it ‘report back’ results or store them on the device insecurely?

Uh, I have a $40 blood pressure cuff that already keeps track of readings and does everything that is talked about here. Not clear what value the iPhone connection adds other than cool factor.

I will concede that my blood pressure monitor can’t make phone calls but then neither does the iPad!

This article (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/science/02see.html?ref=technology) explains how computers can monitor patients’ pulses with cameras. Is the iPhone’s camera good enough to detect the same subtle changes in facial coloration that these computers can? If so, why not make an app to monitor pulse and blood pressure with the inbuilt camera?

“Patients can also share their results with a physician, either via e-mail or by showing them the phone or iPad with the data on it during their next doctor visit.

For the socially minded the application can also deliver blood pressure readings to user accounts such as Twitter and Facebook as a way to generate positive reinforcement about good readings among a user’s social network profile.

There are many blood pressure monitors on the market, but not all of them have been clinically validated for accuracy. The British Hypertension Society (BHS) maintains an up-to-date list of clinically validated blood pressure monitors, which we have reproduced on this page The majority of clinically validated monitors are upper arm monitors, where the cuff is put around the arm, above the elbow. However a number of wrist monitors are now clinically validated, but readings at home may be inaccurate if the wrist is not held at heart level. For this reason, the British Hypertension Society recommends the use of upper arm monitors in preference to wrist monitors.

All monitors that are clinically validated will give a reliable result, regardless of whether they cost £35 or £135. The differences in cost reflect the number of additional features a monitor has (for example the ability to store previous readings or speak out readings). But none of the extra features is necessary for an accurate reading, only that the monitor is clinically validated.

Where to buy a blood pressure monitor

Many shops and chemists stock blood pressure monitors but you will find these models cheaper online from medical equipment supply specialist such as Medisave

Cuff size:

If you have very large or very small arms you may need a smaller or larger sized cuff – ask your doctor or nurse for advice. If different sizes are available for any models they are listed as:  small , standard and large.

Resperate

This device is not clinically validated but reports from the USA show that when used in conjunction with existing treatments resperate does help to lower BP by encourging breathing control.

up-to-date list of clinically validated blood pressure monitors,