Blood Pressure Monitors for Home Use
by Stark Forde Health care productsMonitoring
your blood pressure at home is one of the steps you can take to keep tabs on
you health. Many blood pressure monitors today are smart, digital, and easier
to use than ever.
Smart, digital blood
pressure monitors make it easier than ever to keep tabs on your blood
pressure at home.
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potential to inspire and enable your wellness. Everyday Health may earn an
affiliate commission on items you purchase.
Did you know that roughly one in three
Americans suffers from high blood pressure?
Even worse, this condition is frequently dubbed a “silent killer” since it can
cause damage to your body before symptoms or warning signs appear. Fortunately,
it’s easy to keep tabs on your blood pressure by purchasing a monitor to use at
home.
Monitoring blood pressure periodically is a
good health practice for anyone, but it’s especially important for:
·
Anyone at risk for high blood pressure or
related conditions
·
Anyone diagnosed with high blood pressure/hypertension
·
Anyone currently being treated for high blood
pressure/hypertension (to evaluate the effectiveness of their medication)
·
Following up on (potentially) false readings
·
Pregnant women with preeclampsia or hypertension
A Few
Blood Pressure Monitor Options to Consider
·
Wrist Versus Upper Arm Monitor There
are two main types of blood pressure monitors — wrist and upper arm. Wrist
monitors are often smaller, lighter, and more portable. They also offer a
greater degree of comfort. However, it can be tricky to figure out the proper
placement to get an accurate reading since your wrist is not at your heart
level. It’s easier to get consistent results with an upper arm monitor.
·
Complete Readings It’s
important to buy a monitor that tracks both systolic and diastolic pressure these are the two numbers that you’ve heard put together
when your doctor checks your pressure (such as 120 over 80). Additionally, you
might also consider choosing a device that measures your pulse rate.
·
Cuff Size All upper arm
monitors require the use of a cuff. While they are typically adjustable, you
still need to be certain that it will fit your arm properly. If a cuff is too
large or too small, you won’t get an accurate reading.
·
Features When investing in a
blood
pressure monitor, you must consider any special features you might want or
need. Some monitors just offer basic readings whereas others can track and
graph your data, time stamp your readings, connect to your smartphone or
tablet, and even accommodate multiple users.
·
Automatic Versus Manual You
can purchase blood pressure monitors that operate either automatically or
manually. While automatic monitors typically only require you to press a
button, manual monitors must be pumped by hand (using a rubber bulb). The
automatic option is generally better if you haven’t received the proper
training on the technique .
·
Ease of Use Like most devices,
blood pressure monitors can range from simple to fairly complex. Keep this in
the back of your mind as you make your selection. After all, you want a monitor
that doesn’t make it difficult to set up or interpret results.
·
Time Some monitors can
read your blood pressure in as little as 20 seconds whereas others can take
over a minute. Though the difference might seem negligible, some people
appreciate any and all time saved (especially if they find the cuff
uncomfortable).
·
Warranty Take a look at each
monitors’ warranty before you make a purchase. It’s common for these devices to
be covered anywhere from one to three years.
·
Calibration Most blood pressure
monitors require calibration roughly every two years. This is typically done by
the manufacturer. Before buying, find out how this process works and if you’ll
incur any additional costs.
Now that you understand which features to look
for, take a look at our 5 top picks for blood pressure monitors.
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Created on Mar 6th 2019 03:32. Viewed 334 times.