Measure the pressure wherever you are, 24/7, without discomfort, without the oppression of a sphygmomanometer on the forearm and without interrupting what you are doing. There are many devices on the market that make this possible, we have tried the Aktiia bracelet, a certified medical device that meets the criteria of the ISO81060-2 standard and has received the CE mark as Class IIa medical device. Aktiia is a Swiss company founded in 2018 by doctors Mattia Bertschi and Josep Sola who spent 18 years researching and developing the product before putting it on the market. In Italy it has recently been available; it can be purchased directly on the manufacturer’s website for € 209.99, shipping costs included.
The equipment
In the package you will find the bracelet with the charging slot, the calibration sleeve, the USB-C cables to charge both accessories and the instruction manuals. The bracelet is light (18 grams) and small in size, it is positioned gracefully on the wrist and the strap, designed to adapt to wrists from 14 to 21 centimeters in circumference, is made of hypoallergenic material. It is worn with ease and does not bother even during the night. The sleeve has a 1000 mAh rechargeable battery and, since it must be used once a month, it is advisable to charge it before using it because, although it is switched off, the energy tends to decrease. The bracelet is equipped with a 55 mAh battery and consumes about 15% of its capacity per day, so it needs to be recharged every week. A charge cycle takes just under an hour.
Scientific validation and medical opinions
The bracelet was subjected to the review of some scientific studies. The first, which appeared in Nature, examined the results of the data collected on 91 people aged between 21 and 65 years and came to the conclusion that Aktiia is generally reliable even if it has some fluctuations in values depending on the position of the body in the when the pressure is detected. The second validation processperformed on 86 people, was published in the Blood Pressure Monitoring Journal and determined that Aktiia meets the requirements of the industry standard (ISO81060-2) and therefore can be used as it provides reliable results.
Beyond studies and research, however, we asked the opinion of a cardiologist, Dr. Raffaele Trozzo, to highlight both the professional opinion and the experience he has acquired with these instruments: “In my environment, blood pressure monitors and heart rate monitors are widely used and are routinely trusted by users. Some low cost devices are not reliable but in Italy the quality standards are good ”. However, based on Dr. Trozzo’s experience, there are some useful tips: “It is my habit to recommend them when the emotional component of the person is not excessive and, for people over the years, if there is someone who knows how to use them. “
Two tips from Dr. Trozzo on the use of these tools: “They can be a substitute for medical surveys, without, however, leading to autonomous decisions on any therapy practiced. Blood pressure must be controlled without frenzy, recalling that values are affected by everyday life ”. In other words, if a detection gives anomalous values, it is necessary to remain calm and wait for the following detections. These devices are trusted but they are not a substitute for a doctor’s advice therefore, before taking any initiatives, it is advisable to consult your doctor or, for example, “a specialist in cardiology or sports medicine”.
How does it work
The Aktiia blood pressure monitor needs to be connected to a mobile device via Bluetooth. After installing the app for Android (at least version 8 of the operating system is required) or for iOS (11 and later), a user account must be created, because the data collected by the meter is stored in the cloud.
On first use, the Aktiia system must be calibrated, which takes less than two minutes. You put on the cuff and the cuff and, sitting in a comfortable and immobile position, the mobile device application proceeds to complete the instrument tare activity. It may seem unintuitive: there must be a space of a few millimeters between the bracelet and the wrist and the cuff should be applied to the forearm at the height of the heart, three centimeters above the elbow joint. Small annoyances that can be remedied with a little familiarity.
At the end of the calibration procedure you can turn off the sleeve, remove it from the arm and forget about it until the calibration to follow which must be done every month.
Evidence, values and privacy
We tried it five times, wearing the bracelet each time for 24 hours, which is the time it takes to complete a cycle of measuring values. In parallel, four times a day we used, alternating them, two different traditional sphygmomanometers. The twenty measurements observed (4 every day for 5 days) always gave values in line with those detected by Aktiia, which makes use of blood pressure monitoring algorithms by examining the data with the photoplethysmography (PPG) and detecting changes in the diameter of the artery following each individual heartbeat.
The cuff can be applied to the left or right arm, as long as you always choose the same one during the measurements. The measurement takes place through the optical sensors that the cuff is equipped with and without the user having to interrupt daily activities as happens with a sphygmomanometer. It should also be worn in sleep, but not being waterproof it is advisable to remove it when washing, although it resists small splashes of water.
The measurements are of high precision for both systolic and diastolic pressure and the data collected are subject to the security policies imposed by the GDPR.
When to measure blood pressure
To have the most reliable values, it is necessary to measure the pressure in places that are not too cold and following some rules: wait at least an hour after having eaten a meal and at least 20 minutes after a shower or bath, do not have taken caffeine, theine or have smoked . While measuring the pressure, it is necessary to remain motionless, possibly with the arms resting on a table, and it is useful not to have a full bladder. It should also be noted that these devices are not suitable for people under 21 and over 65 years of age, because the measured values may differ from the real ones.
Finally, Dr. Trozzo gives a further general indication: “They are tools that must be used with patience and common sense, after a short training, remembering that it is necessary to relax for a few minutes in a non-noisy environment, wear them appropriately, perform at least two consecutive surveys and consider the lower value more valid “.
What we liked
- Reliability of the surveys
- Ease of use
- Intuitive app
- Battery life and charging speed
What we didn’t like
- The calibration phase may be unintuitive for some users, it should be done calmly