Wrist blood pressure monitors have become increasingly popular in home and self-monitoring contexts due to their portability, ease of use, and patient comfort. While upper-arm monitors remain the gold standard in clinical settings, they offer specific benefits for certain patient populations and monitoring scenarios.

Hypertension is a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, necessitating regular blood pressure monitoring for diagnosis and management. Home blood pressure monitoring has been shown to improve treatment adherence and control outcomes. While upper-arm blood pressure monitors are typically recommended, wrist-based devices have emerged as a viable alternative in specific situations. This review focuses on the practical advantages of WBPMs and their role in modern hypertension management.

Portability and Convenience
WBPMs are significantly smaller and lighter than traditional upper-arm devices, making them highly portable. Their compact design facilitates routine monitoring in non-clinical settings, including workplaces, during travel, and in rural or resource-limited environments. This portability can support more frequent measurements, which improves diagnostic reliability, particularly in cases of white coat or masked hypertension.

Ease of Use and Accessibility
Wrist blood pressure monitors are often easier to operate, especially for older adults or individuals with physical limitations. They can typically be applied without external assistance and require less manual dexterity. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with reduced shoulder mobility, arthritis, or obesity, where upper-arm cuff placement is difficult or uncomfortable.
Upper-arm cuffs may cause discomfort due to inflation pressure, especially in hypertensive patients with higher arterial stiffness or those requiring repeated measurements. WBPMs, by contrast, exert pressure on a narrower limb segment and are generally perceived as more comfortable. Enhanced comfort may lead to improved patient compliance and willingness to monitor BP regularly.

Modern devices MED-59 and PRO-29 by B.Well incorporate advanced features such as:
- Hand&Heart position and arm shake indicators to monitor the accuracy of measurement
- 3AVG: reliable blood pressure level measurement through averaging of 3 readings
- pulse arrhythmia indicator: early detection of irregular heartbeat
- blood pressure classification scale: easy interpretation of measurement results
- universal wrist cuff size (13,5-21,5 cm) fits any arm and makes measurement comfortable

Clinical Use Cases
WBPMs are particularly valuable for:

Obese patients where standard arm cuffs may be too small

Patients with arm lymphedema, wounds, or post-mastectomy contraindications

Geriatric populations needing simpler devices

Patients undergoing ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) for lifestyle-related BP fluctuations