How Can the HUAWEI WATCH D2
Help you Integrate Health Checks
into a Busy Professional Life?

Reading duration: Approximately 6 minutes

Published: 13/11/2024
Keeping an eye on your health: the importance of monitoring high blood pressure
Health concerns us all, and unfortunately, age often brings with it illnesses such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and atrial fibrillation (AFib). Both conditions can often go unnoticed and cause serious complications. It is therefore particularly important to regularly monitor your own health values, especially in the stressful world of work, where fluctuations in blood pressure often occur that are not detected by a single measurement.

Professor Gregory Lip

Professor Gregory Lip holds the Price-Evans Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Liverpool, UK, and is Director of the Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science at the University of Liverpool and the Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital. He is also Distinguished Professor at Aalborg University in Denmark and Adjunct Professor at Seoul National University and Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. He divides his time equally between clinical cardiology, including outpatient clinics (as a senior specialist in atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure) and acute cardiology.

In this article

Hypertension: the silent risk factor

Why 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is important

Conclusion

Hypertension: the silent risk factor

High blood pressure is one of the most common cardiovascular risk factors and often occurs without symptoms. This makes it particularly dangerous, as it significantly increases the risk of strokes, heart attacks, dementia and atrial fibrillation if left untreated. In particular, the so-called ‘blood pressure load’ (the average blood pressure load over a 24-hour period) plays a crucial role in the development of secondary diseases.

These secondary diseases, also known as ‘target organ damage’, include, for example, thickening of the heart muscle (left ventricular hypertrophy) or renal dysfunction.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib): what it is and why it is dangerous

Good to know: What is AFib (atrial fibrillation)?

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a heart rhythm disorder in which the atria of the heart beats irregularly and often too fast. This can cause blood to build up in the heart and blood clots to form, increasing the risk of stroke. Symptoms can include a racing heart, tiredness, dizziness or shortness of breath. However, AFib often goes unnoticed, which is why regular check-ups are important.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting about one-third of adults at some point in their lives. [1] Similar to hypertension, AFib often remains asymptomatic and is frequently only detected when complications such as stroke, heart failure or dementia have already occurred.

Why 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is important


Many people show an increase in blood pressure when measured in a doctor's office, caused by stress or nervousness. However, to get a more accurate picture of actual blood pressure levels, longer-term monitoring of blood pressure is necessary. 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (ABPM: ambulatory blood pressure measurement) is a valuable diagnostic tool that continuously measures blood pressure throughout the day. Traditional 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) requires patients to wear a small device that is connected to a cuff on the upper arm by a tube. This cuff inflates at regular intervals throughout the day and night to measure blood pressure. While this method is effective, it can be uncomfortable and intrusive for patients, especially during nighttime. The noise of the cuff inflating can disrupt sleep, and the frequent inflations may cause discomfort or even pain for some individuals.

Moreover, traditional ABPM equipment can significantly impact daily life. Patients have limited control over the device, as they remain tethered to a monitor via the tube, making it difficult to carry out routine tasks comfortably. The bulky equipment may hinder physical movement and cause inconvenience in professional settings, which can be especially challenging for busy professionals who need to maintain a high level of productivity throughout the day.

New smart wearable solutions such as the HUAWEI WATCH D2 offer promising developments that are a more flexible and patient-friendly solution to blood pressure monitoring. The smartwatch functions as a 24-hour blood pressure monitor without the need for cumbersome tubes or noisy inflation cycles. It can measure blood pressure at regular intervals during the day and night, allowing users to go about their daily activities without disruption. This is especially beneficial for professionals who need to monitor their health while maintaining an active and demanding lifestyle.


One of the key advantages of smartwatches over traditional ABPM devices is the flexibility they offer. The watch does not restrict movement or compromise the comfort of the wearer. For busy professionals who need to monitor their health while going about their daily activities, this is a major benefit. The smartwatch can be worn discreetly without interfering with day-to-day tasks while still providing accurate health data. This leads to higher patient acceptance and improves quality of life, making blood pressure monitoring less intrusive and disruptive.

The ability to undertake 24 hour ABPM and other health parameters such as the ECG and sleep on the HUAWEI WATCH D2 offers an ideal solution to busy people who need to monitor their health. This is a comprehensive solution beyond what is available for many current smartwatches.

The Benefits of Continuous Blood Pressure Checks


In my hypertension clinic, I often see patients surprised when their blood pressure is high in the office. Many report that their own measurements at home are much lower. In these cases, I order a 24-hour blood pressure measurement to get more accurate data.

ABPM helps doctors to better assess blood pressure levels throughout the day and night. This data is particularly important for enabling a doctor to evaluate the risk of complications such as cardiac hypertrophy or kidney damage, and for adjusting treatment if necessary. Traditional blood pressure measurements in the office only provide a single snapshot, which may not fully capture the patient’s blood pressure fluctuations. By continuously monitoring over a 24-hour period, the doctor can see both day and night values, variations, and the overall trend of the patient’s blood pressure, better enabling a more accurate diagnosis and a more personalized treatment plan.

After the measurement cycle, the ABPM function of modern devices like the HUAWEI WATCH D2 generates a comprehensive A4 report displaying trends and values for the day, night, the entire 24-hour period, and two hours after waking up. This detailed information provides the doctor with valuable insights into how the patient’s blood pressure responds over a longer period. It enables the doctor to fine-tune the treatment plan and advise on reducing the risk of serious complications like strokes, heart attacks, or kidney damage.

Advantages of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring with the HUAWEI WATCH D2


The HUAWEI WATCH D2 enables programmable and automatic blood pressure measurement at set intervals. This offers the following advantages:

Flexibility in everyday life: the watch measures blood pressure discreetly in the background, without disturbing your daily routine or sleep.
24-hour blood pressure profile: continuous measurements provide doctors with a more accurate picture of blood pressure levels and help them adjust treatment, if necessary.
Practical for working people: the ability to measure blood pressure easily and regularly is a real benefit, especially for people with hectic daily routines.

Additional functions: ECG and oxygen saturation measurement


In addition to measuring blood pressure, the HUAWEI WATCH D2 can also perform a single-channel ECG. This is particularly useful for detecting atrial fibrillation (AFib), a cardiac arrhythmia that often goes unnoticed. The watch also measures oxygen saturation (SpO2) during the night, indicating signs of sleep interruption.

Alongside its health applications, the HUAWEI WATCH D2 also offers the classic smartwatch functions such as displaying the time, notifications and other everyday helpers. With its improved battery life, the watch also offers a clear advantage over its earlier model, which significantly increases user-friendliness in everyday life.

Conclusion


The HUAWEI WATCH D2 shows how portable technology can become a great companion in everyday life. It not only enables flexible and comprehensive blood pressure monitoring, but also helps to detect atrial fibrillation. For professionals who have little time for regular doctor visits, the HUAWEI WATCH D2 offers a convenient solution for keeping an eye on their health and identifying potential risks early on. That makes health monitoring easy and accessible – all on your wrist.

Medical disclaimer:
The HUAWEI WATCH D2 and the ECG feature is intended to be used by people aged 18 years and over, but is not intended to replace any medical diagnosis or treatment. Data obtained during the use of this device and feature is for personal reference only. Before using the device, please carefully read the Quick Start Guide, Wearing Guide, and Instruction for Use.

Due to national restrictions on obtaining approval / registration as a medical device, the HUAWEI WATCH D2 will only be available in selected European markets, and the ECG feature only works on watches and smartphones purchased in countries where the service is available

- Supported smartphones: Mobile phones with Android 6.0 or compatibles, HarmonyOS 2.0 or compatibles, or iOS 12.0 or compatibles. The Huawei Health app version on your mobile phone must be 11.0 or compatibles. Please make sure that your wearable device and phone are running the latest versions before using ECG.

- Heart rate, SpO2, stress and sleep tracking are not medical device features, monitoring data and results are for reference only and should not be used as a basis for medical diagnosis or treatment.

References:


  1. 1. Linz D, Gawalko M, Betz K, et. Al. (2024): Atrial fibrillation: epidemiology, screening and digital health

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