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British and Irish Hypertension Society | Registered UK Charity No. 287635

British and Irish Hypertension Society | Registered UK Charity No. 287635

BP monitors

The BIHS publishes the only independent, peer-reviewed list of blood pressure monitors that is not governed by commercial interest.  

How to Use the List of Validated Monitors

  • ALL of the monitors on the ‘Home’ and ‘Specialist Use’ lists have been approved by the BIHS for accuracy. Those bearing the BIHS logo have been tested in-house. The rest have been tested by independent agencies, their published reports have been peer-reviewed and approved by the BIHS.
  • The monitors on the ‘Home’ list may also be used in the clinic
  • Click on individual devices for more information.
  • Click on ‘Type’ at the top of the table if you are looking for a specific feature e.g. ABPM
  • Other search options are available at the top of the table

How to Choose a monitor for Home Use

The following links will help you select the right BP monitor for you, then check to see whether your chosen monitor is on our list.  Apart from those on the ‘Not Recommended’ list, all monitors listed are BIHS approved:

Blood Pressure UK Also a good source of information on high blood pressure for patients

Which? BP Monitor Free access to ‘Advice Guide’ only

 

For Home Use

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For Specialist Use

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Not Recommended

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Archived Monitors

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How BP Monitors are added to the list

The BIHS Blood Pressure Measurement Standing Committee reviews published validation reports on individual BP monitors against an established set of criteria.  To meet these criteria, devices must pass the accepted standards of the ESH International Protocol  2010 (IP2) the Universal Standard (AAMI/ESH/ISO) 2019 or achieve a minimum B grade for both systolic and diastolic measurements for the revised (1993) BHS protocol.

Derivative Devices

Devices that are listed as being derivative of other models have been approved for addition to these lists on the basis of information supplied to the BIHS by the manufacturer. This information has not been rigorously tested but has been accepted in good faith. Derivative devices are indicated on the list and the original model name is given in brackets.

Wrist Devices

Wrist devices are subject to errors that are not presently evaluated in the available validation protocols.  The most important source of error with wrist devices is the position of the arm in relation to the heart.  A wrist device may fulfil the accuracy criteria of a validation protocol when strict attention is paid to having the wrist at heart level but in home use this may not happen and as a consequence the measurement can become inaccurate.  For this reason validated upper arm devices are recommended in preference to wrist devices.

Alternative Devices for Measuring Blood Pressure

In the absence of internationally agreed validation criteria for machines measuring pulse wave velocity, arterial stiffness or central blood pressure monitoring, the BIHS is not currently providing a list of such devices.

BIHS statement on Derivative Devices 2023

Devices that are listed as being derivative of other models have been approved for addition to these lists on the basis of information supplied to the BIHS by the manufacturer. This comprises a checklist of the key components of each monitor (including algorithm, pressure sensors, cuff size and construction, inflation/deflation processes) which the manufacturer attests have not been materially changed from the originally validated device. This information has been carefully reviewed, with manufacturers’ attestations accepted in good faith. Derivative devices are indicated on the list and the original model name is given in brackets.
From 1st April 2023, the BIHS will only accept new derivative device applications where the original device validation was carried out under the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010[1] or AAMI 2013 onwards or the Universal Standard (AAMI/ESH/ISO) validation protocol 2018[2,3,4]. This is because the 2002 ESH International Protocol and earlier protocols (including BIHS 1993) will be considered obsolete from then onwards.
From 1st April 2025, the BIHS will only accept new derivative device applications where the original device validation was carried out under the 2018 Universal Standard (AAMI/ESH/ISO) protocol or a subsequent modification of that protocol.
Validations carried out with other protocols subsequent to 2018 (including but not limited to subsequent AAMI protocols) may be accepted at the discretion of the BIHS but manufacturers should check in advance of any submission.

References: 

[1] Blood Pressure Monitoring 2010, 15:23–38
[2] Hypertension 2018; 71:368–374
[3] Journal of Hypertension 2019, 37:459–466
[4] https://www.aami.org/store/aami-products/1