Guest guest Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Hey Geoff I have had two Omron BP monitors. It's what my pharmacist recommended and he is quite knowledgeable It seems to be a good brand. The first I had to pump, the one I have now is an automatic pump which is much better if you have problems with your hand. It is Model HEM-711. My doctor had me bring it in and calibrate it with hers. It's a little off from hers but she was satisfied that it was close enough. rheumatic BP Monitors > Hi Gang! > > Anyone have any recommendations for automatic blood pressure monitors? I > need to get one that's (a) accurate, ( easy to use, and © handles high > BP (180 type). I understand the finger models won't cut it and wrist type > are questionable. But I saw a wrist type that also notes arrhythmia, > which she has had before leading to stroke. Any brand/model > recommendations would be appreciated. > > Thanks, > > > Geoff > > > > > > > > Ezekiel 16:63b > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 Hi Gang! Geoff here. Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and experiences with BP monitors. After considering the various input and researching units on my own I settled on an automatic arm-cuff Omron unit from WalMart. Thanks again! Geoff Ezekiel 16:63b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 Here is a review of home BP monitors from CR. I use the Omron and find it to be consistant and accurate compared to my readings done professionally Jeff Blood-pressure monitors We tested 16 monitors and found that automatic arm models worked best; most wrist models lagged way behind. There's a virtual epidemic of hypertension, or high blood pressure, in the U.S., and treatment efforts are falling woefully short. At least 40 to 50 percent of adults have either full-blown hypertension or borderline hypertension, which is more dangerous than previously believed. Researchers project that up to 90 percent of all Americans will eventually develop the full-scale disorder. Of those who already have hypertension, an estimated 75 percent or so do not have it under control. For most people with hypertension and many with the borderline condition, home monitoring of blood pressure is an important step toward reining in this rampant disorder: It can boost motivation by providing feedback plus a sense of control over your own treatment. It can help physicians fine-tune your drug regimen. It can help doctors identify " white-coat hypertension " --elevations in blood pressure, apparently triggered by anxiety, that occur in the doctor's office but not at home. Our medical consultants say that such elevations probably warrant treatment, since they may indicate that blood pressure rises outside the office whenever the person feels tense. We tested 16 top-selling home monitors and found notable differences among the models: Automatic arm monitors generally gave the most reliable results. One of the three top-performing models, the $50 ReliOn Automatic, is A CR Best Buy. Wrist monitors, also automatic, were usually the easiest to use but the least reliable. We think there are better choices than any of the wrist monitors we tested (see Ratings). KEEPING TABS ON HYPERTENSION Blood pressure is measured as two numbers, one on top of the other--120 over 80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), for example. The systolic, or higher, number reflects the heart's pumping pressure; the diastolic, or lower, number reflects the pressure between heartbeats. Hypertension is an elevation in either or both of those measures (see What's high blood pressure?). The condition can wreak havoc on several key organs, sharply increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart and kidney failure, and possibly memory loss, Alzheimer's disease, and osteoporosis. Studies have shown that many doctors fail to diagnose hypertension, to recommend the many nondrug measures that can help control it, and to prescribe the best medications. When doctors do recommend the right treatments, patients often don't comply. Ironically, the widespread failure to control hypertension comes at a time when researchers have improved the treatments and confirmed their dramatic potential benefits. But sticking with the treatment regimen requires considerable motivation, since it often causes more inconvenience and discomfort than the disorder itself, which usually produces no symptoms. Home monitoring of blood pressure can help provide that motivation and potentially improve the results of treatment, too. HOW THE MONITORS PERFORMED We tested home monitors sold at drugstores, supermarket pharmacy departments, and mass merchandisers. Our tests considered consistency, accuracy, and convenience, but we gave the most weight to consistency. That's because you can adjust for a monitor that's inaccurate but consistent--it measures blood pressure, say, 5 points higher than the true pressure, but the readings seldom vary. Once you found that consistent error by having your physician check your monitor, you could simply subtract 5 points each time. But you can't adjust for an inconsistent monitor whose readings jump all over the place. Using a monitor that scored only fair or even good on consistency theoretically might lead to inadequate treatment in some cases. But a monitor's performance can vary from person to person. So if you own a lower-rated meter, it's particularly important to have your doctor check it against a professional meter. If the readings seem inconsistent--or fluctuate inexplicably at home--consider switching to a higher-rated model. Here are the basic types of home monitors and what our tests showed: Automatic arm monitors. All of the seven top-rated models were of this type. They have a cuff that wraps around the upper arm and inflates automatically. Most arm monitors measure pressure while the cuff is deflating. The results are shown digitally on a small screen, which is usually separate from the cuff. In general, the automatic arm devices were the most consistent. While some are pricey, costing up to $90, the ReliOn Automatic, A CR Best Buy at $50, performed excellently. Two automatic arm monitors, the Healthometer Automatic Digital and the Lumiscope Smartinflate, measure blood pressure while the cuff is inflating rather than deflating. That eliminates the need for high inflation pressures, which can be uncomfortable. But other automatics were more consistent. Manual arm monitors. These devices, also called semi-automatics, offer reasonably solid performance at lower cost--$35 to $50--than most others. While the readings still display automatically, you have to inflate the cuff by pumping a bulb. So they're the hardest to use, and they measured pressure less consistently than the best automatics. Wrist monitors. Convenience is their main appeal. As easy to put on as a wristwatch, they inflate automatically and provide digital readouts on a screen attached to the band. Though they inflate to the same pressure as most arm cuffs, pressure on the wrist is less uncomfortable. But the wrist monitors we tested were costly, about $70 to $125, and usually the least consistent and lowest ranking. Four wrist devices--the Lifesource Wrist Ultra Compact, the Lumiscope Fuzzy Logic, the Omron Portable Wrist, and the Mark of Fitness Wristwatch Style--scored only fair on consistency. Only one wrist model, the Omron Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor with APS (advanced positioning sensor), scored very good overall, though it lagged behind nearly all the arm monitors. Fingertip monitors. We didn't test these, mainly because we found them unreliable the last time we tested them. HOW TO GET RELIABLE READINGS For arm monitors, choose the cuff size recommended for your arm circumference. You'll usually have to pay extra for a large cuff, and you may have to order it. Have your doctor check your monitor, preferably every six months. If you drop the device or readings change abruptly, have it checked promptly. If your doctor uses a nonmercury device, ask when it was last checked. Mercury devices, the most reliable type, are falling out of favor because of concerns about mercury contamination if they break. But most nonmercury devices, which have a dial rather than a mercury column, must be checked by the doctor or recalibrated by the maker every six months or so. Don't test within a half-hour after eating, drinking caffeinated coffee or cola, or exercising. Relax for a few minutes before testing, and remove jewelry or clothing that interferes with cuff placement. For arm monitors, rest your arm on a waist-high table. For wrist monitors, keep your wrist level with your heart. Keep both feet flat on the floor. Take two readings, about 1 to 2 minutes apart. If results differ by 5 points or more, take a third. RECOMMENDATIONS Most people with hypertension and many with the borderline condition, particularly those with risk factors for heart disease, should monitor their blood pressure at home. In general, they should check pressure at least twice a week at about the same time of day--but as often as twice a day if the hypertension is poorly controlled or the treatment has just changed. Most people's first choice should be an automatic arm monitor that reads pressure during cuff deflation. The highest-rated model, the Omron Automatic with Intellisense, $80, offers several more features than the second-highest scorer, the Omron Automatic, $70. And it's the only top-ranked model whose maker says it's appropriate for people with diagnosed arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. However, the ReliOn Automatic, also made by Omron but sold as a Wal-Mart brand, gives essentially the same excellent performance as the Intellisense, works faster, and has several of the same features, for only $50. If ease of use is a high priority, consider choosing the Lifesource Quick Response with Easycuff, $85, the only arm monitor rated excellent on convenience. (But only the regular-sized cuff is " easy. " ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 Here is a review of home BP monitors from CR. I use the Omron and find it to be consistant and accurate compared to my readings done professionally Jeff Blood-pressure monitors We tested 16 monitors and found that automatic arm models worked best; most wrist models lagged way behind. There's a virtual epidemic of hypertension, or high blood pressure, in the U.S., and treatment efforts are falling woefully short. At least 40 to 50 percent of adults have either full-blown hypertension or borderline hypertension, which is more dangerous than previously believed. Researchers project that up to 90 percent of all Americans will eventually develop the full-scale disorder. Of those who already have hypertension, an estimated 75 percent or so do not have it under control. For most people with hypertension and many with the borderline condition, home monitoring of blood pressure is an important step toward reining in this rampant disorder: It can boost motivation by providing feedback plus a sense of control over your own treatment. It can help physicians fine-tune your drug regimen. It can help doctors identify " white-coat hypertension " --elevations in blood pressure, apparently triggered by anxiety, that occur in the doctor's office but not at home. Our medical consultants say that such elevations probably warrant treatment, since they may indicate that blood pressure rises outside the office whenever the person feels tense. We tested 16 top-selling home monitors and found notable differences among the models: Automatic arm monitors generally gave the most reliable results. One of the three top-performing models, the $50 ReliOn Automatic, is A CR Best Buy. Wrist monitors, also automatic, were usually the easiest to use but the least reliable. We think there are better choices than any of the wrist monitors we tested (see Ratings). KEEPING TABS ON HYPERTENSION Blood pressure is measured as two numbers, one on top of the other--120 over 80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), for example. The systolic, or higher, number reflects the heart's pumping pressure; the diastolic, or lower, number reflects the pressure between heartbeats. Hypertension is an elevation in either or both of those measures (see What's high blood pressure?). The condition can wreak havoc on several key organs, sharply increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart and kidney failure, and possibly memory loss, Alzheimer's disease, and osteoporosis. Studies have shown that many doctors fail to diagnose hypertension, to recommend the many nondrug measures that can help control it, and to prescribe the best medications. When doctors do recommend the right treatments, patients often don't comply. Ironically, the widespread failure to control hypertension comes at a time when researchers have improved the treatments and confirmed their dramatic potential benefits. But sticking with the treatment regimen requires considerable motivation, since it often causes more inconvenience and discomfort than the disorder itself, which usually produces no symptoms. Home monitoring of blood pressure can help provide that motivation and potentially improve the results of treatment, too. HOW THE MONITORS PERFORMED We tested home monitors sold at drugstores, supermarket pharmacy departments, and mass merchandisers. Our tests considered consistency, accuracy, and convenience, but we gave the most weight to consistency. That's because you can adjust for a monitor that's inaccurate but consistent--it measures blood pressure, say, 5 points higher than the true pressure, but the readings seldom vary. Once you found that consistent error by having your physician check your monitor, you could simply subtract 5 points each time. But you can't adjust for an inconsistent monitor whose readings jump all over the place. Using a monitor that scored only fair or even good on consistency theoretically might lead to inadequate treatment in some cases. But a monitor's performance can vary from person to person. So if you own a lower-rated meter, it's particularly important to have your doctor check it against a professional meter. If the readings seem inconsistent--or fluctuate inexplicably at home--consider switching to a higher-rated model. Here are the basic types of home monitors and what our tests showed: Automatic arm monitors. All of the seven top-rated models were of this type. They have a cuff that wraps around the upper arm and inflates automatically. Most arm monitors measure pressure while the cuff is deflating. The results are shown digitally on a small screen, which is usually separate from the cuff. In general, the automatic arm devices were the most consistent. While some are pricey, costing up to $90, the ReliOn Automatic, A CR Best Buy at $50, performed excellently. Two automatic arm monitors, the Healthometer Automatic Digital and the Lumiscope Smartinflate, measure blood pressure while the cuff is inflating rather than deflating. That eliminates the need for high inflation pressures, which can be uncomfortable. But other automatics were more consistent. Manual arm monitors. These devices, also called semi-automatics, offer reasonably solid performance at lower cost--$35 to $50--than most others. While the readings still display automatically, you have to inflate the cuff by pumping a bulb. So they're the hardest to use, and they measured pressure less consistently than the best automatics. Wrist monitors. Convenience is their main appeal. As easy to put on as a wristwatch, they inflate automatically and provide digital readouts on a screen attached to the band. Though they inflate to the same pressure as most arm cuffs, pressure on the wrist is less uncomfortable. But the wrist monitors we tested were costly, about $70 to $125, and usually the least consistent and lowest ranking. Four wrist devices--the Lifesource Wrist Ultra Compact, the Lumiscope Fuzzy Logic, the Omron Portable Wrist, and the Mark of Fitness Wristwatch Style--scored only fair on consistency. Only one wrist model, the Omron Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor with APS (advanced positioning sensor), scored very good overall, though it lagged behind nearly all the arm monitors. Fingertip monitors. We didn't test these, mainly because we found them unreliable the last time we tested them. HOW TO GET RELIABLE READINGS For arm monitors, choose the cuff size recommended for your arm circumference. You'll usually have to pay extra for a large cuff, and you may have to order it. Have your doctor check your monitor, preferably every six months. If you drop the device or readings change abruptly, have it checked promptly. If your doctor uses a nonmercury device, ask when it was last checked. Mercury devices, the most reliable type, are falling out of favor because of concerns about mercury contamination if they break. But most nonmercury devices, which have a dial rather than a mercury column, must be checked by the doctor or recalibrated by the maker every six months or so. Don't test within a half-hour after eating, drinking caffeinated coffee or cola, or exercising. Relax for a few minutes before testing, and remove jewelry or clothing that interferes with cuff placement. For arm monitors, rest your arm on a waist-high table. For wrist monitors, keep your wrist level with your heart. Keep both feet flat on the floor. Take two readings, about 1 to 2 minutes apart. If results differ by 5 points or more, take a third. RECOMMENDATIONS Most people with hypertension and many with the borderline condition, particularly those with risk factors for heart disease, should monitor their blood pressure at home. In general, they should check pressure at least twice a week at about the same time of day--but as often as twice a day if the hypertension is poorly controlled or the treatment has just changed. Most people's first choice should be an automatic arm monitor that reads pressure during cuff deflation. The highest-rated model, the Omron Automatic with Intellisense, $80, offers several more features than the second-highest scorer, the Omron Automatic, $70. And it's the only top-ranked model whose maker says it's appropriate for people with diagnosed arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. However, the ReliOn Automatic, also made by Omron but sold as a Wal-Mart brand, gives essentially the same excellent performance as the Intellisense, works faster, and has several of the same features, for only $50. If ease of use is a high priority, consider choosing the Lifesource Quick Response with Easycuff, $85, the only arm monitor rated excellent on convenience. (But only the regular-sized cuff is " easy. " ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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