FDA warning: BP kiosks not for everyone

The FDA has issued a warning to consumers about trusting the accuracy of test results taken at BP kiosks found in public places such as pharmacies, grocery stores and airports.

“Different kiosks have different cuff sizes that will fit different people, so it’s important to know the circumference of your upper arm because not all devices are alike,” Stephen Browning, a biomedical engineer at FDA, said on the agency’s website. “Many people will be outside the arm size range for a particular kiosk, and the information from that kiosk won’t be reliable for them.”

Because cuff sizes range at different kiosks, one may be a good fit for some, but a bad fit for others, resulting in an inaccurately low — or high — reading. Further, the agency prompts consumers to be wary of a kiosk’s inaccuracy, which may result from operator error, such as improper cuff placement or seated position.

According to the agency, “people shouldn’t overreact to any one reading from a kiosk.”

Physicians may not find this information surprising, but with the advisory, the FDA hopes patients will become more aware.

“Hypertension isn’t diagnosed solely based on one reading. Inaccurate BP measurements can lead to the misdiagnosis of hypertension or hypotension, and people who need medical care might not seek it because they are misled by those inaccurate readings,” Browning said.