Aktiia, a Swiss health technology company engaged in developing cuffless blood pressure monitoring solutions, has received Health Canada approval for its continuous blood pressure monitoring bracelet.

The wearable device is now available in Canada, marking Aktiia’s first expansion outside of Europe.

The monitoring bracelet measures blood pressure to help manage hypertension.

Aktiia’s precision monitoring device automatically takes readings, day or night, providing up to 800 measurements per month. This helps users understand factors that affect blood pressure.

Insights from the device can be shared with doctors via an app, offering a deeper understanding of how medication and lifestyle changes impact health.

The technology uses advanced optical sensors and proprietary algorithms for optical blood pressure monitoring (OBPM), analysing subtle changes in artery diameter with each heartbeat.

Aktiia’s bracelet provides 24/7 blood pressure monitoring, allowing users to wear it day and night for continuous tracking.

The device connects to a smartphone app for detailed tracking, analysis, and real-time data sharing with healthcare providers. Unlike traditional cuff-based monitors, the bracelet offers seamless, uninterrupted measurements throughout daily activities, Aktiia said.

The Aktiia bracelet offers clinically validated accuracy with CE mark certification and Health Canada approval. The sleek, cuffless design provides up to nine days of battery life.

Additionally, it is said to deliver monthly reports and personalised insights to help users manage their health more effectively.

Aktiia chief medical officer Jay Shah said: “Traditional blood pressure cuff monitoring can be intrusive and often lead to incomplete or inaccurate readings due to factors like white coat syndrome, which affects up to 30% of patients.

“Aktiia’s bracelet provides a much more complete picture of a user’s blood pressure patterns, enabling better-informed healthcare decisions and improved outcomes.”

The Swiss healthtech company established its presence in Canada in 2023, starting a collaboration with GAPP study investigators.

The GAPP study is a large prospective cohort study in Liechtenstein, involving over 2,000 participants monitored for more than a decade.

The study utilises Aktiia’s 24/7 blood pressure monitoring technology. This collaboration seeks to uncover connections between long-term blood pressure patterns and genetic, biomarker, imaging, and healthcare data.

In June 2024, Aktiia received the CE mark approval in Europe for CALFREE, its next-generation, calibration-free optical blood pressure technology.