Aktiia has unveiled the UK launch of a 24-7, automated blood pressure monitoring system that gathers data during the day and while sleeping.

The device, which has received its CE mark, provides people and their physicians comprehensive insights into blood pressure patterns designed to better inform the diagnosis and management of hypertension.

Aktiia’s Optical Blood Pressure Monitoring (OBPM) algorithms leverage optical sensors worn on the wrist and provide blood pressure values using photoplethysmography (PPG) to analyse the changing diameter of the arteries occurring at each heartbeat.

This optical measurement is done automatically so users are not aware and stressed, and do not have to interrupt their day or their sleep to take a measurement.

Dr Neil Poulter, professor of preventive cardiovascular medicine at Imperial College London, said: “Hypertension is the number one cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide.

“Accurate blood pressure measurement and particularly 24/7 monitoring of blood pressure is increasingly recognised as being important to improve the diagnosis and control of raised blood pressure, thereby improving patient outcomes.

“Tracking blood pressure over long periods, without alerting the patient represents a potential game changer in the diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension represents a potential game changer in the diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension.”

Mike Kisch, Aktiia CEO, added: “With cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death across the world, people need to better understand the impact of their lifestyle choices and physicians need the ability to more deeply understand blood pressure patterns so they can change the way that they diagnose and treat people living with hypertension.

“After 15 years in development and one million blood pressure readings, Aktiia has cracked the code to bring to market the world’s first automated 24-7 blood pressure monitoring system.”