Blood pressure monitor manufacturer Omron has received FDA clearance for its HeartGuide wearable blood pressure monitor and has opened up pre-sales for the device.
Omron’s HeartGuide smartwatch measures blood pressure through the oscillometric method by way of an inflatable cuff that is part of the watch band. The pre-order price of the device is $499 and it will be available in retail stores starting in January.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
There’s been a recent explosion of interest in the use of wearables to track cardiac health, including the new capabilities of the Apple Watch to perform EKGs.
Omron is an investor and partner with digital health startup AliveCor, which also produces wearable EKG monitoring technology. Earlier this Omron announced that it was developing an at home EKG and blood pressure monitor with AliveCor’s help.
Another recent partnership that has set Omron apart is an integration with Amazon’s Alexa voice service that allows users to set reminders for blood pressure tests, calculate average readings over a time period and compare readings across different dates or times.
Besides blood pressure measurement and normal digital watch capabilities, the HeartGuide also functions as a fitness tracker that is able to measure steps, distance and quality of sleep.
Omron has also developed an associated mobile application that can help users make sense of their blood pressure measurements and how their lifestyle impacts their cardiac health.
Studies have shown that around 103 million U.S. adults have high blood pressure and as many as 13 million people are unaware of that fact.
“As a medical-grade blood pressure device in the form of a wrist watch, HeartGuide is a breakthrough for the category and for those who want to keep a close watch on their blood pressure anytime, anywhere,” Omron Healthcare President and CEO Ranndy Kellogg said in a statement.
“Because blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day, regular self-monitoring empowers consumers to take immediate action on their heart health numbers and fuels a more productive patient-physician dialogue to evolve treatments and improve outcomes.”
Picture: Omron Healthcare
