What is blood pressure ?
Blood pressure is the amount of force your blood uses to get through your arteries. When your heart pumps, it uses force to push oxygen-rich blood out to your arteries. They bring it to your body’s cells and tissues. If your blood pressure is too high, it can cause health issues. The only way to know your blood pressure is to measure it using the best blood pressure monitors .
Importance of monitoring blood pressure regularly
Monitoring blood pressure changes at home can help you and your care provider make decisions about treatment, such as adjusting dosages or changing medications. Encourage better control. Self-monitoring can give you a stronger sense of control over your health.
Factors to consider when choosing a blood pressure monitors
Check the Fit
Make sure the blood pressure monitor you choose has a cuff that fits the circumference of your upper arm or wrist. (Use a tape measure to be certain.) Using a cuff that’s the wrong size can result in inaccurate readings. Most of the arm models we tested have two cuffs or a cuff that can be adjusted to fit most people. Wrist models also fit most people.
Consider Cost
The recommended models are priced from rs. 1400 to rs .4400. But shop around. And find out whether your insurance covers blood pressure monitors.
Choose One That’s Easy to Use
The display on the monitor should be easy to read.
The buttons should be large and intuitive.
Directions for using the cuff and operating the monitor should be clear.
Select the Features You Need
There are many features to look for when selecting a blood pressure monitor. Here are some to consider: an irregular-heartbeat detector, a risk-category indicator, multiple user memories, multiple cuffs, memory download capability, a large-digit display, and a data-averaging function. For more details, check the specs section.
Top 5 blood pressure monitors in India: detailed features and specifications.
1. OMRON HEM-8712 BP MONITOR
The Omron BP machine is a highly versatile device that you can use at home. Using this device, you can measure your blood pressure in units of millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). You can also use this device to check any instances of irregular heart rate. Along with these features, this BP machine can be operated quite easily with a single touch and also provides highly precise and accurate results for your blood pressure measurements.
Benefits:
- The device is compact, portable, and handy.
- The user experience is swift, agile, and simplistic.
- Provides BP readings that are very reliable.
- Can be operated with a single touch, hence eliminating a learning curve.
- Comes with all necessary attachments.
- It has a comparatively larger screen with a better quality display.
- It has a dedicated hypertension indicator that blinks when your blood pressure readings are higher than normal.
2. DR MOREPEN BP ONE BP 02 BP MONITOR
The Dr Morepen BP machine is a highly user-friendly device that can be used at home by senior citizens as well. This device is known for providing results that are close to the accuracy of a manual machine. One of the most important features of this BP machine is that alongside blood pressure, it also displays the real-time heart rate (or pulse rate). Due to all these features, this instrument is also used in healthcare facilities for clinical purposes.
Benefits:
- Easy to use with minimal effort.
- Provides nearly accurate results.
- It can be used with a single button.
- Easy to set up with simple instructions.
- Large and bright LCD screen.
- Special memory function to store BP readings.
- Low battery indicator.
- Alarms users in case of high blood pressure (hypertension).
3. DR. TRUST SMART TALKING BP MONITOR
The Dr Trust BP machine has a smart-talking feature that can come in handy if the user is not able to comprehend the readings themselves. It is best suited for people who have difficulty using such electronic devices. With audio guidance in both English and Hindi, even the layman with no knowledge of using a BP machine can use this device. This device can also be beneficial for people who are visually impaired. However, if you do not need the audio guidance, you can always mute it and use the device as a regular blood pressure monitor.
Benefits:
- Uses smart technology that measures blood pressure during inflation to provide more accurate and faster measurements.
- Improved pumping technology reduces extra unnecessary pumps with a smart algorithm.
- Hence it is perfect for senior citizens who usually cannot withstand the pain of longer durations of cuff inflation.
- Measurements are quick and accurate and the cuff does not need to deflate completely to display the results.
- The Dr Trust BP Machine cuff is larger than most other devices, making it compatible with people of all sizes.
- Detects heart rate and identifies abnormalities in it.
- Can be powered using a micro USB cable.
- Can be powered using 4 AA size batteries as well.
4. DR MOREPEN BP 09 BP MONITOR
This Dr Morepen BP machine is different from its other models because it is a more affordable option for every household. Like all other Dr Morepen devices, you do not need any specialised training to operate this device. You can use it on the go and measure your blood pressure within a few minutes no matter where you are. For people who are suffering from high/low blood pressure (i.e., hyper/hypotension), diabetes or any other cardiovascular ailments, this BP machine is a piece of must-have equipment at home.
Benefits:
- It has a dedicated WHO pressure classification indicator on the left side of the screen.
- It can identify and alert users if their heart rate is abnormal or irregular.
- Powered by batteries, making it a highly portable BP machine.
- A special low battery indicator alerts you when it is time to change the batteries, ensuring uninterrupted use.
- When out of batteries, it can also be powered by a direct cable connection to a power outlet using the adapter provided in the box.
- It has a smart auto-inflation technology that prevents excessive inflation which can cause discomfort and pain.
5. BPL B3 120/80 BP MONITOR
The BPL BP machine is a highly accurate medical device that can be used to provide precise readings of your blood pressure. This device runs on batteries and is extremely portable as well as handy to use. If you or your family member is hypertension (high blood pressure) or hypotensive (low blood pressure) patient, then having this medical apparatus at home can be of great help. Using this BP machine, you can quickly and accurately check blood pressure without having to visit a doctor or a diagnostic lab.
Benefits:
- This medical device offers a higher degree of accuracy than most others with a minimum deviation (margin of error) of +/- 3 mm of Hg (Mercury).
- This device operates using the auto-pressurisation and oscillometric principle technology.
- With an expandable internal memory built into this device, you can record and store up to 120 blood pressure readings.
- It has a large vibrant display measuring 45×33 mm.
- It has a built-in indicator for when you have wrapped the cuff incorrectly.
- The circumference of the cuff can be adjusted between 22 to 36 cm, making this an appropriate device for people of all sizes.
- This BP machine also comes with a travel pouch enabling you to carry it along with you wherever you go.
- It has an auto-power off feature that saves battery life when the device is not in use.
How accurate are blood pressure monitors for home use?
Blood pressure monitors are considered accurate, with many doctors recommending them to their patients for home monitoring.“If the systolic number is in the range of ten points from the reading done in the office, then your machine is deemed accurate.”
Many of the doctors we spoke to also recommended patients use validatebp.org, which lists all devices that meet the American Medical Association’s “Validated Device Listing (VDL)” criteria.
SOURCES : MAYOCLINIC.ORG, CLEVELANDCLINIC.ORG, PHARMEASY.COM/ , AMAZON.COM , HEALTH.COM
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