Cuffless Devices for the Measurement of Blood Pressure
Published: December 11, 2025
- Cuffless devices estimate blood pressure (BP) indirectly. Most rely on sensors such as photoplethysmography (PPG) or tonometry, often combined with pulse transit/arrival time and machine learning. Outputs often represent BP change relative to calibration, not direct measurement.
- Accuracy is particularly susceptible in real-world use. Device performance is highly susceptible to motion, sensor positioning, body posture, and hydrostatic pressure effects. Yet most validation occurs immediately after calibration in static, controlled settings—leaving true real-world utility unproven.
- Potential advantages are theoretical. Cuffless devices could enable BP monitoring during sleep, physical activity, other activities of daily living, and in populations with poor tolerance of repeated cuff inflation (e.g., children, hospitalized patients). However, with the large breadth of data obtained in scenarios in which BP was not previously routinely measured, robust accuracy and outcome evidence is needed for interpretation.
Video: Cuffless Devices for the Measurement of Blood Pressure
Writing Group Chair Jordana B. Cohen, MD, MSCE, FAHA and Vice Chair Tammy M. Brady, MD, PhD announce the publication of a new American Heart Association Scientific Statement, "Cuffless Devices for the Measurement of Blood Pressure."