Researchers tracking cardiovascular health are turning to cuff-less wearable ring technology to monitor nocturnal blood pressure and better understand the connection between obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular risk, according to clinical presentations at the 2025 Annual Spring Scientific Conference of the Korean Society of Cardiology. The approach utilizes noninvasive devices to capture high-frequency blood pressure readings during sleep without disrupting a patient’s rest.
Monitoring Blood Pressure Without a Cuff During Sleep
Traditional blood pressure monitoring relies on arm cuffs that inflate, which can wake patients and distort data gathered during rest. To overcome this limitation, investigators are deploying the CART BP pro, a cuff-less ring manufactured by South Korean startup Sky Labs, according to a research presentation by Jin Oh Na, a professor at the Korea University Guro Hospital Cardiovascular Center. The device allows for high-frequency measurements every five minutes throughout the night, providing continuous data on nocturnal blood pressure patterns.
The technology is already active in more than 1,300 hospitals and clinics across South Korea, where it has received regulatory approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and is eligible for national health insurance reimbursement. By collecting continuous data rather than relying on isolated single-point checks, clinicians gain a clearer picture of real-world cardiovascular risks.
Addressing Undiagnosed Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea presents a major challenge in preventative cardiology because the condition frequently goes unrecognized. In South Korea, approximately 85% of patients with obstructive sleep apnea remain undiagnosed, often dismissing symptoms as routine snoring, according to data shared by Na during his presentation titled “Sleep and Cardiovascular Health: Why It Matters.”
While polysomnography remains the established gold standard for diagnosing sleep apnea, it does not provide precise, high-frequency blood pressure tracking through the night. Researchers plan to use the continuous data gathered by the ring-shaped monitor to develop predictive models that help identify at-risk patients and support long-term cardiovascular assessments.
Advantages of Continuous Nighttime Tracking
The shift toward continuous nocturnal monitoring offers distinct advantages for both clinical practice and research settings:
- Extended Data Collection: Gathers blood pressure metrics over long durations instead of relying on single-point measurements.
- Undisturbed Rest: Operates without the pressure inflation of traditional cuffs, ensuring natural sleep patterns remain intact.
- Patient Adherence: Supports comfortable home use, which increases compliance for long-term monitoring regimens.
As researchers advance these studies, the integration of cuff-less monitoring tools into clinical workflows aims to close the diagnostic gap for nocturnal hypertension and related cardiovascular complications.
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