GAFAMS, STARTUPS & INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE by PHARMAGEEK

Smartwatches can keeps tabs on steps, heart rate and sleep but none of them can measure your blood pressure. At least not with great precision. But it looks like a future smartwatch from Samsung might be able to do the trick.

High blood pressure – hypertension – increases the risk of a heart attack. One in three adults is affected but as there are no obvious symptoms, a third of these can be unaware of a problem. While self-checking is not a substitute for seeing a doctor, being able to regularly measure and most importantly track blood pressure over time is of great help in understanding how dietary, fitness and other changes effect your health.

Samsung’s patent shows the tech giant may have figured out a different way to take measurements. Similar to the light sensor used for heart rate sensors, it works by shining polarized light and then sensing the intensity of the scattered light. If the technology proves accurate, it means you’ll be able to monitor your blood pressure around the clock directly from your wrist.