Are Home Blood Pressure Devices Validated for Accuracy?

Many patients use commercially available devices to monitor their blood pressure (BP) at home. However, the accuracy of many brands of home devices has not been validated. In this study, researchers used data from Amazon to identify best-selling devices sold online in 10 countries, including the U.S. The researchers then determined which devices have been validated as accurate, according to several organizations that provide this information.

Overall, about 80% of both arm and wrist devices were not validated, with some differences across the 10 countries. In U.S. dollars, median costs of validated and nonvalidated devices were $67 and $32, respectively.