🚨 Blood Pressure Ring

Today Korean Social News for Beginners | 2025.11.13

0️⃣ 24-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring Technology and Institutional Limitations

📌 Innovative Device 'Blood Pressure Ring' Faces Institutional Barriers, Limiting Medical Use

💬 A ring-shaped blood pressure monitor that can measure blood pressure continuously for 24 hours has received medical device certification and health insurance coverage, but it is not being properly utilized in the field because it is not included in hypertension management evaluation indicators. Although CART BP received certification from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2024 and was designated as a health insurance benefit, medical institutions find it difficult to actively use it because the evaluation indicators for the primary care chronic disease management program are centered on traditional blood tests, urine tests, and electrocardiogram tests. Experts point out that even though nighttime blood pressure is a key indicator for predicting cardiovascular disease, the current system does not reflect technological developments, reducing the effectiveness of the primary care chronic disease management program. The government and Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) agree on the need for system improvement, but say that policy implementation will take time due to cost structures and insufficient clinical data.

💡 Summary

• The blood pressure ring is a ring-type medical device that enables 24-hour continuous blood pressure monitoring.
• Despite being covered by insurance, its use in medical settings is limited because it is excluded from hypertension management evaluation indicators.
• The gap between technological advancement and institutional frameworks is reducing the effectiveness of chronic disease management.

1️⃣ Definition

A blood pressure ring is a non-invasive medical device worn on the finger that automatically measures blood pressure continuously for 24 hours. Unlike traditional arm cuff blood pressure monitors, it is convenient to wear and causes less discomfort during daily activities, allowing accurate blood pressure changes to be monitored throughout the day, including during sleep.

In Korea, CART BP received medical device certification from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2024 and was designated as a health insurance benefit. While this established the legal foundation for ring-type blood pressure monitors to be used in medical settings, practical adoption has been slow because it is not included in hypertension management evaluation indicators.

💡 Why is this important?

• Nighttime blood pressure is a key indicator for predicting cardiovascular disease and mortality.
• 24-hour continuous monitoring is much more accurate than single measurements during hospital visits.
• If technological innovation is not reflected in the system, gaps in patient health management occur.
• System improvements are needed to enhance the effectiveness of the primary care chronic disease management program.

2️⃣ Current Status and Institutional Problems of Blood Pressure Rings

📕 Technical Advantages of Blood Pressure Rings

• 24-hour continuous monitoring enables accurate blood pressure assessment. Key advantages include:

  • Blood pressure measured once at a hospital can differ from usual levels due to stress or environmental changes.
  • Ring-type blood pressure monitors measure automatically during daily life, accurately capturing actual blood pressure patterns.
  • They can measure nighttime blood pressure during sleep, enabling early detection of cardiovascular risk.
  • They are more convenient to wear than traditional arm cuffs and do not interfere with activities.

• Nighttime blood pressure is key to predicting cardiovascular disease. Key research findings include:

  • Research shows that blood pressure during sleep predicts cardiovascular disease and mortality more accurately than daytime blood pressure.
  • High nighttime blood pressure causes rapid blood pressure increases in the morning, increasing stroke risk.
  • In normal people, blood pressure drops 10-20% during sleep; disruption of this pattern is a warning sign.
  • Experts emphasize the importance of detecting these changes early through regular 24-hour blood pressure monitoring.

📕 Institutional Limitations and Field Difficulties

• Insurance coverage is granted but excluded from evaluation indicators. Key problems include:

  • Blood pressure rings are covered by health insurance but not included in the evaluation indicators of the primary care chronic disease management program.
  • Current evaluation indicators are centered on traditional items such as blood tests, urine tests, and electrocardiograms.
  • Medical institutions prioritize items included in evaluation indicators, so motivation to use blood pressure rings is weak.
  • A contradictory situation exists where insurance coverage is provided but actual use is not encouraged.

• Medical field utilization is limited. Key difficulties include:

  • Medical institutions find it difficult to actively recommend tests that are not reflected in evaluations.
  • Patients also have few opportunities to receive blood pressure ring tests without doctor recommendations.
  • Technology has advanced but the system has not kept up, creating gaps in patient health management.
  • Criticism has been raised that the effectiveness of the primary care chronic disease management program is declining.

📕 Government and HIRA's Position

• They agree on the need for system improvement. Their main position includes:

  • The Ministry of Health and Welfare and HIRA acknowledge that system improvements reflecting technological development are necessary.
  • They also positively evaluate the clinical usefulness of continuous blood pressure monitors.
  • However, revising evaluation indicators requires careful review and social consensus.
  • Since the primary care chronic disease management program was converted to a main program in 2024, there is room for improvement going forward.

• Cost and clinical data accumulation remain challenges. Key considerations include:

  • To include new test items in evaluation indicators, cost-effectiveness must be proven.
  • Domestic clinical data has not yet been sufficiently accumulated, requiring time for policy implementation.
  • Changing existing evaluation indicators may cause confusion for both medical institutions and patients.
  • Plans are in place to improve the system through a gradual and careful approach.

💡 Major Barriers to Blood Pressure Ring Utilization

1. Not reflected in evaluation indicators: Covered by insurance but excluded from hypertension management evaluation items
2. Focus on traditional items: Only traditional tests like blood, urine, and electrocardiogram are evaluated
3. Lack of medical institution motivation: Weak incentive for active use since not reflected in evaluations
4. Insufficient clinical data: Long-term domestic usage data not sufficiently accumulated
5. Cost-effectiveness: Need to prove cost-benefit when adding new items

3️⃣ Solutions and Future Challenges

✅ Evaluation Indicator Improvement Measures

• Continuous blood pressure monitoring items should be included in evaluation indicators. Key directions include:

  • 24-hour blood pressure monitoring should be added to evaluation indicators of the primary care chronic disease management program.
  • Continuous measurement data such as nighttime blood pressure and average blood pressure should be reflected in care quality evaluations.
  • Continuous blood pressure monitoring recommended by international guidelines should be applied to domestic systems.
  • Gradual introduction can minimize confusion in medical settings.

• Incentives for medical institutions to use the technology should be strengthened. Key measures include:

  • Medical institutions conducting continuous blood pressure monitoring could receive bonus points.
  • 24-hour blood pressure monitoring should be preferentially recommended for high-risk patients.
  • Education and promotion for medical staff should be strengthened to convey the clinical value of the technology.
  • Patients should also be informed about the importance and necessity of continuous blood pressure monitoring.

✅ Clinical Data Accumulation and Research Support

• Domestic clinical data should be systematically collected. Key tasks include:

  • Health outcomes of blood pressure ring users should be tracked long-term.
  • Research on the relationship between blood pressure patterns and cardiovascular disease incidence in Koreans is needed.
  • A data collection system should be established through cooperation between public research institutions and private companies.
  • Policy implementation should be accelerated by proving cost-effectiveness based on accumulated data.

• An institutional environment supporting technological innovation should be created. Key directions include:

  • Medical device certification and insurance designation alone are insufficient; policies connecting to actual use are needed.
  • A flexible system is needed to quickly reflect new medical technologies in the system.
  • Innovative technology effectiveness can be verified through regulatory sandboxes or pilot programs.
  • Evaluation and compensation systems appropriate for the digital healthcare era should be designed.

✅ Primary Care Chronic Disease Management Program Improvement

• The effectiveness of the program should be enhanced. Key improvements include:

  • Participation rates in the primary care chronic disease management program that started in 2019 remain low.
  • Evaluation indicators are fixed and do not reflect technological developments and clinical evidence.
  • Regional participation gaps need to be addressed and balanced nationwide expansion is needed.
  • The system should be comprehensively reviewed and improved following the 2024 conversion to a main program.

• A patient-centered management system should be established. Key directions include:

  • Focus should be on actual health improvement rather than simply meeting the number of test items.
  • Tools like continuous blood pressure monitoring that accurately assess patients' daily health status should be utilized.
  • A system enabling continuous communication and personalized management between medical staff and patients should be created.
  • Digital healthcare technology should be actively introduced to improve the quality of chronic disease management.

4️⃣ Related Terms Explained

🔎 Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)

• ABPM is a device that automatically measures blood pressure for 24 hours.
  • Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) is a device that automatically records a patient's blood pressure periodically over 24 hours. It typically measures every 15-30 minutes during the day and every 30-60 minutes at night to capture blood pressure change patterns throughout the day.
  • The clinical value of ABPM is very high. First, it can exclude the "white coat hypertension" phenomenon where blood pressure reads high at the hospital due to stress. Second, it obtains the most accurate data by measuring actual blood pressure during daily life. Third, it detects important warning signs such as nighttime blood pressure and morning blood pressure surges. Fourth, it can evaluate the effectiveness of blood pressure medication from a 24-hour perspective.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) already recommend ABPM as the standard tool for hypertension diagnosis and treatment evaluation. In Korea, the ring-type ABPM called CART BP became eligible for insurance coverage in 2024, but utilization is limited because it has not yet been included in hypertension management evaluation indicators.

🔎 Primary Care Chronic Disease Management Program

• The primary care chronic disease management program is a system for systematically managing chronic diseases at local clinics.
  • The primary care chronic disease management program, started by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2019, is a system where clinic-level medical institutions (local clinics) continuously and systematically manage patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Patients designate a primary care physician and receive regular health consultations and tests.
  • Main contents of the program include: First, participating clinics provide regular care and consultations to registered patients. Second, necessary tests such as blood tests, urine tests, and electrocardiograms are conducted. Third, lifestyle improvement and medication guidance are provided. Fourth, the government pays management fees to medical institutions and reduces patient out-of-pocket costs.
  • However, limitations have been pointed out, including low participation rates and fixed evaluation indicators that do not reflect technological innovation. Although converted to a main program in 2024, regional participation gaps persist. Experts advise that improving evaluation indicators and including innovative technologies like continuous blood pressure monitoring would increase the program's effectiveness.

🔎 Health Insurance Benefit System

• Health insurance benefits are a system where the government supports medical expenses.
  • The health insurance benefit system means that when medical procedures or medical devices are designated as benefit targets, patients pay only a portion of the cost and the National Health Insurance Service covers the rest. If not designated as a benefit, patients must pay the full amount, so benefit designation significantly affects medical accessibility.
  • The benefit designation process is as follows: First, manufacturers or medical institutions apply for benefits to HIRA. Second, HIRA comprehensively evaluates safety, effectiveness, and economic efficiency. Third, the Health Insurance Policy Review Committee makes the final decision. Fourth, benefits are applied after announcement by the Minister of Health and Welfare.
  • Although ring-type blood pressure monitors have been approved for benefits, medical institutions find it difficult to actively use them because they are excluded from hypertension care evaluation items. This is evaluated as a case showing the gap between systems and technological development. Benefit designation alone is not enough; actual benefits reach patients only when included in evaluation indicators and actual use is encouraged.

🔎 Nighttime Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease

• Nighttime blood pressure is an important indicator for predicting cardiovascular disease.
  • Nighttime blood pressure refers to blood pressure measured during sleep, and research shows it predicts cardiovascular disease risk more accurately than daytime blood pressure. Normally, blood pressure during sleep is 10-20% lower than when awake, a pattern called "dipper."
  • The importance of nighttime blood pressure includes: First, if blood pressure does not drop at night ("non-dipper" or "reverse dipper"), continuous burden is placed on the heart and blood vessels. Second, nighttime hypertension significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure. Third, "morning blood pressure surge" where blood pressure rises sharply in the morning is also a stroke risk factor. Fourth, blood pressure medication effectiveness can be evaluated from a 24-hour perspective.
  • Experts emphasize the importance of identifying nighttime blood pressure patterns through regular 24-hour blood pressure monitoring and starting treatment to lower nighttime blood pressure if necessary. Ring-type blood pressure monitors are very useful tools for nighttime blood pressure measurement as they can be worn comfortably during sleep.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How accurate is the blood pressure ring?

A: It has received MFDS certification and clinical trials have proven accuracy equivalent to conventional blood pressure monitors.

• CART BP, designated as an insurance benefit target in 2024, passed rigorous clinical trials by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. In clinical trials, it showed accuracy equivalent to conventional arm cuff blood pressure monitors, with reliability particularly verified in 24-hour continuous monitoring. However, due to the nature of measuring through finger blood vessels, measurement errors may occur when hands are too cold or during vigorous movement, so it is important to follow usage instructions accurately.
• Certification as a medical device means safety and effectiveness have been officially verified. However, wearing comfort and measurement accuracy may vary depending on individual finger size and blood circulation status, so it is advisable to use it under medical guidance. More accurate health management is possible by comparing regularly with blood pressure measured at hospitals.

Q: How much does blood pressure ring testing cost?

A: With health insurance benefits applied, patient out-of-pocket costs are about 10,000-20,000 won.

• 24-hour continuous blood pressure monitoring using a blood pressure ring is covered by health insurance, so patients only need to pay a portion of the cost. Specific out-of-pocket costs vary somewhat depending on the type of medical institution (clinic, hospital, general hospital) and the patient's health insurance type (workplace, regional, medical aid), but are roughly 10,000-20,000 won. Without insurance coverage, patients would have had to pay the full cost of over 100,000 won.
• However, not all hospitals conduct blood pressure ring tests, so if you want testing, it is advisable to inquire with medical institutions in advance. Currently, few hospitals actively recommend it because it is not included in evaluation indicators, but patients whose hypertension is not well controlled or who are concerned about nighttime blood pressure can consult with doctors and request testing.

Q: Can ordinary people purchase and use blood pressure rings?

A: As a medical device, it is difficult for individuals to purchase and use arbitrarily without a doctor's prescription.

• Blood pressure rings are medical devices certified by the MFDS and should in principle be used under a doctor's prescription and guidance at medical institutions. They are different from general health management products that ordinary consumers can freely purchase online or in stores. Medical devices require proper usage methods and result interpretation, so using them without expert guidance risks making incorrect judgments.
• However, regulations may be relaxed in the future or consumer products may be released. In the United States and Europe, some wearable blood pressure monitoring devices are sold to general consumers, but accuracy and intended use differ depending on medical device grade and regulatory level. If you need blood pressure monitoring for health management, the safest and most accurate approach is to visit a nearby hospital, consult with a doctor, and receive appropriate guidance.

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