An accurate blood pressure reading is the most vital baseline data point in modern medicine. It dictates heart care, surgery safety, and long-term drug prescriptions. Yet, the automated blood pressure monitors used in almost every clinic and home have a painful flaw. The very machines we trust to track our health are poorly programmed, routinely causing patient injury and producing inaccurate medical data.

As a physician, I see this issue persist in clinics, and I experience it myself on home health devices. It is a hidden problem in plain sight. While federal regulators spend their time cracking down on new smartwatches and fitness trackers, they are completely ignoring the systemic engineering failures of the standard arm cuff.