Garmin has announced its Garmin Index BPMsmart blood pressure monitor, for measuring and tracking systolic and diastolic blood pressure, is now finally available in other countries, including the UK and EU.
The Garmin index BPM costs £159.99 (it's available in the US for $149.99, but still no word about Australia availability) and was previously launched in the US in 2022.
As much as the best fitness trackers help us paint an accurate picture of our health, there are certain things we require additional devices to track. One such metric is blood pressure, particularly hard to measure accurately with smartwatch LED sensors. Some smartwatches have attempted to circumnavigate this, such as the Huawei Watch D with a cuff hidden in the strap, but there's been no widely-adopted consensus yet.
The device will interface with Garmin Connect, the app many users will already use for fitness tracking with the best Garmin watches. However, the app can also be used in a standalone capacity, and doesn't need a watch to operate with the blood pressure monitor.
“Garmin is a trusted name in the health and fitness industry, and we are excited to introduce the Index BPM as another tool to stay on top of your health,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales via a press release.
“When using the Index BPM as part of the larger Garmin ecosystem, all of your health and fitness data can be viewed right in Garmin Connect, helping to give you a more complete look at your overall health in one app.”
What does it do?
As with a traditional blood pressure monitor, the Garmin Index BPM requires users to wear a cuff, but it's attached to a battery pack with a smart display. Garmin says the cuff is adjustable for arms from 9-17 inches, or 22-42 cm) in circumference.
Unlike a standard blood pressure monitor, the Index can use Wi-Fi to relay data back to Garmin Connect, with up to 16 people being able to use a single device with their own Garmin Connect accounts. That could make it an ideal purchase for families, with everyone from serious athletes to older family members with heart health issues.
Once connected, the app can showcase trends and history, set reminders to log blood pressure and produce reports in different increments that can be easily shared via PDF, perhaps to a medical professional.
The Index BPM runs off of four AAA batteries, and a single set will last up to nine months.
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