|
 Researchers tested an experimental smartphone app that uses the
phone's camera to monitor blood flow in the index finger with each
heartbeat. They compared results from the app to traditional blood
pressure measurements taken on 96 occasions in 32 pregnant women.
The goal of the study was to see if the smartphone app could produce
blood pressure readings close to those recorded with a traditional
blood pressure cuff. But the app failed to meet this goal often
enough to be considered an accurate test of blood pressure.
"Especially during pregnancy, a correct diagnosis of pregnancy
related hypertension is crucial to tailor individual therapy," said
senior study author Dr. Thilo Burkard of the University Hospital
Basel in Switzerland.
The app in question was never released, Burkard is quick to point
out. But these results suggest pregnant women should be cautious
about relying on other apps they download that use a similar method
to measure blood pressure.
"Relying on these apps may lead to the situation that women with
high blood pressure may not seek advice by their physician since
they may measure normal values with the app and women with normal
blood pressure may be concerned by measuring elevated pressure with
the app," Burkard said by email.
High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of death among
pregnant women worldwide, accounting for 14 percent of maternal
mortality, researchers note in the journal Hypertension.
Because early diagnosis and treatment can reduce the risk of serious
complications and deaths related to high blood pressure during
pregnancy, reliable, simple and easily accessible tools are needed
to help women detect high blood pressure at an early stage, the
study authors say.
In adults, a blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of
mercury) or lower is considered normal or healthy. Pressure readings
that are consistently 140/90 mmHg or greater are considered high.
In the tests by Burkard's team, the app's readings deviated from
those taken with the blood pressure cuff at least half of the time
by at least 5 mmHg when measuring the top number, known as systolic
blood pressure. In 64 out of 96 readings, the differences were
within 15 mmHg, the study found.
[to top of second column] |
Pregnant women typically get their blood pressure checked with a
blood pressure cuff at each doctor's visit, and they may have more
regular checkups if they're diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Since 2014, the number of available smartphone apps measuring blood
pressure and pulse rate has surged, researchers note. Apps designed
to use the smartphone camera to check blood pressure are very
popular, and some of them have been downloaded by a million or more
users.
But none of these apps have been validated with published clinical
trials. One app was removed from the market after it failed to meet
accuracy goals in a trial, the study authors also note.
While apps might one day deliver on their potential for giving
consumers an easy way to monitor their blood pressure, there isn't
enough evidence yet to recommend any apps to consumers, said Kumanan
Wilson, a scientist at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute in Canada
who wasn't involved in the study.
"There is substantial value in developing similar applications that
are effective in determining blood pressure in pregnant women
because of convenience and ease of access," Wilson said by email.
Even though the app in the study failed to achieve this goal, the
research is still critical to helping scientists eventually come up
with an app that works, Wilson said.
"Evaluations such as the one conducted in this study are uncommon
but are needed for consumers to have confidence in the information
they are receiving as it can influence healthcare decisions," Wilson
said. "In the case of high risk populations, such as pregnant women
with hypertension, this is particularly relevant."
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2IJwj1o Hypertension, online April 9, 2018.
[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
