By Sree Roy
Blood pressure cuffs have long been the standard in clinical care—but for sleep patients, especially those with sleep apnea, they may be missing crucial clues. While daytime spot checks offer a limited snapshot, it’s what happens overnight—in the dynamic, unseen hours of sleep—that could provide life-saving insights.
A new generation of technology, including the FDA-cleared CirculVS device from Bodimetrics and GTCardio Inc, is challenging the old norm by offering continuous, beat-by-beat blood pressure readings during sleep. And what it’s beginning to uncover could reshape how we detect and manage cardiovascular disease.
What Happens at Night Could Hurt You
Sleep, particularly during the REM-rich early morning hours, can amplify cardiovascular risk. Sudden shifts in autonomic nervous system activity during REM sleep can lead to blood pressure surges, arrhythmias, and even dislodged arterial plaque—raising the risk for heart attacks and strokes.
“A lot of bad things happen during sleep,” says Dr. Meir H. Kryger, professor emeritus at Yale and scientific advisor to Bodimetrics. “And when sleep apnea is present, it creates a perfect storm of cardiovascular stress.”
Unlike traditional cuffs, CirculVS doesn’t miss these events. It tracks fluctuations throughout the night, offering unprecedented visibility into how blood pressure behaves when we’re most vulnerable.
Static vs. Dynamic: The Flaw in the Cuff
Traditional cuffs measure what Dr. Ehud Baron of GTCardio calls “static” blood pressure—an artificially induced reading taken when the cuff cuts off and then slowly releases blood flow. But real-life cardiac events involve dynamic pressure changes, sudden surges and dips that static readings can’t capture.
“In a heart attack, blood doesn’t stop—it rushes like a tsunami,” says Dr. Baron. “We’re missing the most dangerous signals by using cuffs alone.”
CirculVS combines a wrist-worn ambulatory monitor with a ring-based pulse oximeter to measure both static and dynamic pressures—continuously, and noninvasively.
Catching Trouble Before It Strikes
The developers’ mission is simple: catch cardiovascular disease early. Dr. Baron notes that heart disease often starts quietly in your 40s, long before it surfaces in your 70s.
Early, nightly tracking could also be pivotal for pregnancy-related conditions like preeclampsia, where dangerous blood pressure rises can go undetected until they become an emergency.
“Wouldn’t it be great to monitor a pregnant woman’s blood pressure overnight—long before symptoms appear?” Kryger asks.
A New Frontier: ‘Nocturnal Medicine’
CirculVS may be most immediately useful in sleep and cardiology settings, but its developers see far broader potential. Could dementia patients, for instance, experience overnight blood pressure spikes that contribute to cognitive decline? If so, nighttime monitoring might offer a new intervention path.
“We’re opening a new area, and that’s nocturnal medicine,” says Neil Friedman, COO of Bodimetrics. “There’s a huge amount to learn across all specialties.”
With partnerships like the one with EnsoData, CirculVS is poised to fit into both clinical workflows and remote patient monitoring programs—enabling physicians to be reimbursed for home testing and long-term care.
Looking Ahead
Just a few years ago, overnight, noninvasive blood pressure monitoring didn’t exist. Now, it’s redefining how sleep medicine can contribute to broader cardiovascular care.
“If I had had something like this 30 to 40 years ago, I would have loved it,” Kryger says.
As CirculVS and similar technologies roll out, they offer a new mandate for sleep specialists: to play a leading role in detecting heart disease before it strikes.
Key Takeaways:
- CirculVS offers continuous, beat-by-beat overnight blood pressure monitoring, capturing vital data traditional cuffs miss.
- REM sleep can trigger dangerous BP fluctuations—especially in sleep apnea patients—that may go undetected without dynamic tracking.
- Dynamic blood pressure (real-time surges and dips) is more relevant to cardiovascular risk than traditional static readings.
- This technology could enable earlier diagnosis of conditions like heart disease and preeclampsia, and even open up new research into dementia and other diseases.
- Sleep specialists can expand their role in nocturnal medicine, bringing cardiovascular insights to the forefront of sleep care.
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Pricing for Related Devices
1. Circul+ Ring (by BodiMetrics)
- A retailer lists the Circul+ Ring for $299, including shipping. This device offers features such as SpO₂ monitoring, ECG, pulse rate, and more, but it’s unclear whether it’s the same model or spec as the CirculVS onlinehomesleepstudy.com.
2. Circul Ring Health Monitor (by CirculSense)
- Another device called the Circul Ring Health Monitor is priced at $199 for most sizes and colors, with $219–$229 for large options CIRCUL RING.
- This version is described as the “world’s first clinically validated BP monitoring wearable,” offering real-time tracking, adaptive fit, and no monthly fees CIRCUL RING+1.
3. Used Circul+ (via Secondary Market)
- A used listing purposes an average resale price of $299 for the Circul+ ring Bimedis.
Summary Table
| Device | Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CirculVS (ring + watch by GTCardio) | Not publicly listed | No available data on pricing or consumer sale details. |
| Circul+ Ring (BodiMetrics) | $299 | Includes shipping; unclear if it’s identical to CirculVS. |
| Circul Ring Health Monitor | $199–$229 | Clinically validated; one-time purchase; real-time BP tracking. |
| Used Circul+ (secondary market) | ~$299 | Resale value for a used device; may not reflect current condition. |
What to Do Next
If you’re specifically interested in the CirculVS, the best route would be to:
- Visit the official Bodimetrics or GTCardio website to see if they list sales or pricing.
- Contact their sales or support teams directly to request availability and cost.
- Inquire whether the Circul Ring Health Monitor (priced around $199) is indeed the same as—or comparable to—the CirculVS setup described in your article.
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