Keyword Search
Category Switcher
Search & Assessment
SEARCH
Search by part of the device name.
Use non-accented letters and digits only.
Do not include spaces, hyphens or other characters.
For model numbers, various sections are searchable e.g If the model number was ABC-123-XY, ABC123XY, ABS123, 123XY and 123 should all work. Sections with a single digit or letter are not searchable.
ASSESSMENT
Devices can be filtered according to assessment of clinical accuracy. Medaval provides a star for each of an approved protocol, a recent validation with those certified to be performed strictly according to an approved protocol receiving 4 stars. An extra star is awarded for multiple validations.
Some validations are performed in specific groups and, among these, Pregnancy and Children are selected for easy filtering.
Best Rated Devices: Devices rated at least 3-star by Medaval.
Clinically Validated Devices: Devices with a peer-reviewed published paper proving clinical accuracy according to a standard protocol.
Devices with Multiple Validations: Devices with at least two peer-reviewed published independent validations proving clinical accuracy according to standard protocols. Independent corroborating proofs diminish the probability of chance results considerably. All devices with multiple validations are rated at least one-star by Medaval.
Equivalence awaiting proof: Manufacturer declaration claiming equivalence, but without supporting peer-reviewed scientific evidence being provided.
No Validation Information Found: Devices without evidence of clinical validation. These are watermarked with the Medaval "where is the evidence?" Warning.
Non-Published Study: Devices where validation appears to have been carried out independently but where the results have been kept hidden or where there is no evidence of peer-review.
Non-standard study: Devices with a peer-reviewed published paper claiming to prove clinical accuracy but according to an ad-hoc or non-standard protocol. Only standard protocols can be accepted as valid methods of proving clinical accuracy.
Research Devices: Development devices including devices with a peer-reviewed published paper proving clinical accuracy according to a standard protocol but intended for equivalence comparisons only.
Validated in Children: Devices with a peer-reviewed published paper proving clinical accuracy according to a standard protocol in Children (Neonates to Adolescents).
Validated in Pregnancy: Devices with a peer-reviewed published paper proving clinical accuracy according to a standard protocol in Pregnancy and related conditions.
Validated in Subgroup: Devices with a peer-reviewed published paper proving clinical accuracy according to a standard protocol in a specific population/subgroup other than Children or Pregnancy.
Validation Fail only: Devices where the only peer-reviewed published evidence shows inaccuracy, according to a standard protocol.
Manufacturer/Societies/Review Sites
MANUFACTURER
The term "Manufacturer" includes, not only sole manufacturers (makers) but also those who make devices for other labels (OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturers), those who label the device (OBL: Own Brand Labeller and, if different, the Brand), regulation-compliance providers and, in some jurisdictions, distributers.
A device may therefore, have several manufacturers. If so, it will be listed for each, irrespective of the brand under which it is sold.
In several cases, it has not been possible to determine the role of the manufacturer under which the device is sold.
SOCIETIES/REVIEW SITES
You can check which of the devices recommended by various organisations really have proven clinical accuracy (according to a standard protocol and peer-reviewed) and which have not.
Several listings of recommended blood pressure monitors are available online.
Some are provided by various professional organisations (BIHS, DHL and, in print only, ESH), national organisations (Hypertension Canada) and recognised consumer organisations (Which?, Stiftung Warentest, Consumer Reports and Choice).
However, the vast majority of listings are simply Amazon advertisements and should not be consulted. Indeed, the origins of many of the devices advertised on these are untraceable. These devices should NEVER be used for medical purposes. For information purposes, we have included a selection of devices from the US Amazon Best Sellers list.
The listings reviewed to date are from:
Amazon Best Sellers (US): The US version of Amazon Best Sellers for blood pressure monitors
BIHS (UK & IRL): The British and Irish Hypertension Society
Choice (Australia): The Australian consumer organisation Choice
Consumer Reports (US): The US consumers' magazine Consumer Reports
DHL (DE): The German medical professional association Deutsche Hochdruckliga (German Hypertension League)
ESH (Europe): The European Society of Hypertension
Hypertension Canada: The Canadian national organisation for hypertension prevention and control Hypertension Canada
Stiftung Warentest (DE): The German consumer organisation Stiftung Warentest
Which? (UK): The UK consumers' association Which?
Client Use/Measure Site & Occurrence, Accessibility and Availability
Client Use
You may filter devices according to the use that matches your needs.
ABPM: Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitors – Wearable devices that measure blood pressure regularly over 24-hours.
AFib detection: Devices that include detection of atrial fibrillation. Generic "irregular hear beat" in not included. Accuracy is not implied and should not be inferred without checking published peer-reviewed literature independently.
Central BP: Devices that include an estimate of central (aortic) blood pressure. Accuracy is not implied and should not be inferred without checking published peer-reviewed literature independently.
Home: Devices intended for self-measurement/home use.
Patient monitor: Devices intended for bedside use in hospital or care settings; modules for use in such devices.
Professional: Devices intended for professional/clinic use.
Public facility: Kiosk and waiting-room devices intended for public use.
Research: Development devices with publications or publicity but not made available.
Measurement Site (Advanced Filtering)
You may filter devices according to the site/location from which the measurement is taken.
Measurement Occurrence (Advanced Filtering)
You may filter devices according to the occurrence/frequency of measurements.
Continuous: Devices that record or provide continuous or near-continuous measurement. In most cases this will mean real-time information.
Grouped: Devices that record small groups/sets of measurements and provide results based on these sets.
Intermittent: Devices that record measurements at pre-set intervals.
Single: Devices intended for individually initiated measurements.
Accessibility (Advanced Filtering)
You may select devices with facilities to assist those who are visually impaired.
Availability (Advanced Filtering)
You may select devices according to current availability. While it is not possible to keep absolutely up-to-date, Medaval endeavours to provide information as accurately as possible. Updates from manufacturers are most welcome.
Available Currently: When last checked by Medaval, the devices were still available.
Discontinued: The device has been discontinued but it is still available for purchase on merchant sites. Auction sites do not count as merchant sites.
Not Available: This includes obsolete devices, research devices and devices that have been validated but have not yet been made available.
