QardioArm is a highly accurate blood pressure monitor and has undergone independent, formal clinical validation according to ANSI/AAMI/ISO 81060-1:2007, ANSI/AAMI/ISO 81060-2:2009, ANSI/AAMI/IEC 80601-2-30:2009, as well as British Standard EN 1060-4:2004. The readout from the QardioArm syncs automatically with the Qardio app, and additionally, the information can even be forwarded directly to your doctor if you would like.

When you slide the band onto your upper arm and secure it, all you really have to do is sit still while the app and device take your reading. A large Start button in the app sends the go-ahead to the QardioArm via Bluetooth. You'll hear the device whir into motion and feel the pressure increase. On the screen, you see spaces for your systolic and diastolic readings, as well as pulse (heart rate). The reading takes less than 30 seconds, and your results appear instantly. BP and pulse data can be viewed in tabular or graphic formats and can be synched with the Apple Health App: Fit the QardioArm snuggly in place; not too tight.Rest your arm on a flat surface, for example on a table, with your palm facing upward; QardioArm should be at the same height as your heart. I found the QardioArm BP measurements to be very accurate. My medical assistant, Jenny, recorded our patient’s BPs using the “gold-standard” manual technique, and with QardioArm (consecutively and in the same arm), and there was excellent agreement. In one man with a very large arm, she could not record a BP (QardioArm’s cuff fits the arm of most people, and is appropriate for use by adults with an upper arm size between 22 and 37 cm (8.7 and 14.6 inches). If your upper arm is larger than that, this device is not for you. In one patient who was in atrial fibrillation, the device properly recorded an “irregular heart beat.”Now that you know how to turn the device on and have paired it with your Cardio App, put the cuff over your upper arm with the cuboid over the inner aspect of your arm, WORKS WITH GOOGLE FIT, SAMSUNG HEALTH & MYFITNESSPAL– Seamlessly connected, making your health monitoring even easier. I compared it to the Omron 10 (Consumer Reports highest-rated BP device), and found close agreement between the two. Simultaneous BP using Omron (above) and QardioArm (left) The device turns off “after a few minutes” if not used. You won’t know if it is on or off. If it doesn’t respond when you trigger it from the App, you must carefully rewrap the cuff and then unwrap it. If you don’t trigger the device properly with the magnet, it won’t wake up.

Other heart conditions:Some devices may provide other health metrics, like pulse rate, or detect other health conditions, like irregular heartbeat. Your whole family can use it, too: This digital blood pressure monitor pairs wirelessly with up to eight phones or tablets at any given time (let's see a manual blood pressure monitor do that!). Each time you use the digital monitor, the QardioArm averages three readings; monitors and detects an irregular heartbeat; and stores all your measurements and notes in Qardio's HIPAA-compliant cloud.Smart blood pressure cuffs like the QardioArm are simple enough, but what about their corresponding apps? What good is a well-built smart blood pressure monitor if the app is a confusing mess? The other smart blood pressure monitor I feel is worth mentioning is the Omron 10 Series, which admittedly falls more on the style spectrum of a medical device than a smartphone. For a little less money than the QardioArm, the Omron 10 Series offers both connected and standalone blood pressure readouts, meaning you can use the device without having to pair it with your smartphone. The Bottom Line The accuracy is +/- 3 mmHg or 2% of readout value for blood pressure, and +/- 5% of readout value for pulse.

Once you understand how the device works it is a breeze to use. However, if you are inclined, like me, to skip reading the instruction manual, you run the risk of being incredibly frustrated. Upon opening the app to take a blood pressure reading, you are brought right to the start screen to begin taking a measurement. You couldn’t ask for a more simple user experience, really. It is for these reasons that I hold the Qardio app in high regard as well. How Much Does The QardioArm Cost And How Does It Compare To The Competition? CONNECT DEVICES AND APPS – Qardio gives you the choice of using the app for manual entries, syncing data from other apps or connecting with QardioArm, QardioBase X, QardioTemp or QardioSpO2. After setting up the Qardio App, you pair the QardioArm with the App. This requires the QardioArm be on and Blue Tooth be enabled on your smartphone. Prior to working for PCMag, I was the managing editor of Game Developer magazine. I've also worked at the Association for Computing Machinery, The Examiner newspaper in San Francisco, and The American Institute of Physics. I was once profiled in an article in Vogue India alongside Marie Kondo.

Comments

BPs are immediately available on my iPhone with QardioArm, whereas a separate Bluetooth synching process is required for the Omron App. This process never works well for me, as the Omron fails to transmit measurements reliably. Overall the device seems well built, and once I found out how to correctly strap on the device, it was very easy to use. Based on build-quality alone, I feel safe recommending the QardioArm as one of the best smart blood pressure monitors available. QardioArm App Review Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Read our editorial mission & see how we test. I recently bought a QardioArm for my father and tested one myself over the last month, and herein are my findings. I compared it closely to my prior “go to” BP device, the Omron 10 (which I recommended as a Christmas gift here). SHARE YOUR DATA – Qardio App offers several easy ways to share your data with your friends, family and doctors.