Home blood-pressure monitor market to reach $1bn by 2010
30 January 2007 Wellingborough, UK. The world market for home-use
digital blood pressure monitors is worth almost $800 million, according to a
new report from InMedica. The gradual ageing of the world population
combined with the increasing prevalence of hypertension will provide an
increasing potential market. The predicted rise of telehealth will add even
greater value to the market, which is forecast to grow at 6.7% per year,
taking it to over $1 billion by 2010. The most popular type of monitor was
found to be automatic upper-arm blood-pressure monitors, representing just
over half of the market. The ease of use and consistent results gained from
automatic upper-arm monitors have strengthened their position as the
physicians’ favourite, particularly in the US where it is common for
physicians to recommend patients use a blood-pressure monitor at home after
they have been diagnosed with hypertension. With a well maintained
blood-pressure monitoring plan, a sufferer can see the results of any
lifestyle changes they may implement, or the effect of any prescribed
medication, helping them to understand their condition and keep it under
control. Telehealth is an emerging technology trend that will accelerate
the uptake of home-use blood-pressure monitors. Telehealth promises to allow
patients to transmit detailed information about blood-pressure, glucose
levels, weight, temperature or respiration to their health professional and
receive real-time feedback on their condition. Steven Burton, analyst at
InMedica and author of the report, “The World Market for Home-Use Digital
Blood-Pressure Monitors 2006,” gives an example of telehealth in practice,
“A blood-pressure monitor can communicate with a cell phone via a Bluetooth
wireless link, thus allowing acquisition and transmission of data, most
likely using a web-based application. This would enable doctors to monitor
the effects of medication on their patients without them having to visit the
health centre and, if necessary, remotely issue new prescriptions. This type
of solution will help ease the burden currently facing overstretched
healthcare systems by reducing the need for patients to routinely visit the
doctor.” To top
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