How Do I Pick a Good Blood Pressure Monitor for Home Use?

Keeping track of health is important for every family member. This is especially true of blood pressure, which rises or falls even in a completely healthy person. You should always have a reliable tonometer for home use on hand, which will allow you to quickly fix a deviation from the norm. This will help you quickly take the right measures – find a medicine or carry out the necessary procedures.

The best manufacturers of blood pressure monitors, which company to choose?

Medical equipment for home use is popular. High requirements are imposed on it, so it is better to choose products from reliable and trusted manufacturers. Tonometers of various well-known brands are presented on the market.

1. Omron. The Japanese company Omron offers modern products. Her blood pressure monitors are popular in many countries around the world. In Russia, products occupy leading positions. Their advantages include compact size, convenient fixation, a functional screen for tracking results and reasonable prices.

2. CS Helthcare. CS Helthcare is a joint project between Russia and China. Both sides offered the best practices in the field of medical equipment manufacturing. The Russian side also provides reliable distribution in our territory, helps to achieve reasonable prices with constant quality.

3. Little Doctor. The international company Little Doctor was founded in 1986 in Singapore, which is the world's largest business center. This contributes to the development of business in other countries, so the products are available at attractive prices. Medical products have passed international certification and received permission to sell in Russia.

4. Microlife. Microlife from Switzerland supplies medical devices, including blood pressure monitors for home use. A distinctive feature is the use of innovative technologies, including the recognition of atrial fibrillation or three-dimensional measurement of blood pressure values.

Types of tonometers

Modern blood pressure monitors are technological and functional devices, in the production of which innovative solutions are used. The entire range can be classified according to criteria. There are several types of blood pressure monitors:

1. mechanical;

2. automatic and semi-automatic (digital);

3. mercury.

Each of these types differs in features, a set of functions and cost.

Mercury tonometers

In these devices, the value of blood pressure is determined by the level of the mercury column. This is one of the varieties that appeared first in medicine and went on sale. Today they are classified as professional devices because they provide accurate readings. However, due to the toxicity of mercury, they were banned from being sold for home use.

Mechanical blood pressure monitors

Classic models of tonometers that were used 20-30 years ago. Today, they are also popular with medical personnel and the elderly. First of all, the choice is determined by the simplicity and reliability of the device. The design includes an arm cuff, a rubber tube, a bulb, a phonendoscope, and a pressure gauge. The values ​​are shown by an arrow on the dial.

Advantages

• high accuracy of blood pressure indicators;

• affordable cost;

• ease of use and reliability;

• immunity to external factors (hand and body movements).

disadvantages

• the need to use a phonendoscope;

• the accuracy of the measurement depends on the skills and acuity of hearing of the person, therefore experience in measuring pressure is required.

Automatic blood pressure monitors

The devices are considered the most technologically advanced among the range of tonometers. No medical training is required to measure blood pressure. When using the tonometer, it is not even necessary to pump air into the cuff with a bulb, because the built-in compressor performs the operation automatically. The device itself consists only of a cuff, a tube and a block with a digital display. It is enough to press one button and in a few seconds the exact indicators appear on the screen – blood pressure, heart rate and so on.

Advantages

• ease of use and minimal effort;

• compact size;

• high measurement speed.

disadvantages

• high price;

• some models do not have the highest measurement accuracy.

Semi-automatic tonometers

The devices are a cross between mechanical and automatic blood pressure monitors. The design includes a cuff, tubing, digital display unit and a pressure bulb. When measuring blood pressure, it is necessary to put on the cuff correctly and pump air with a pear. After that, the screen displays blood pressure and heart rate.

Advantages

• ease of use;

• The optimum ratio of price and quality;

• accurate blood pressure and heart rate readings.

disadvantages

• Not found.

Options for choosing tonometers

Digital blood pressure monitors (automatic and semi-automatic) are popular today. They are easy to use and feature added functionality.

When choosing, consider the following criteria:

1. accuracy and ease of measurement;

2. features of work;

3. design features (cuff, blower, display unit);

4. ease of attachment, versatility of use;

5. dimensions and weight;

6. power supplies (for electronic devices);

7. additional functions;

8. cost.

The tonometer's task is to measure blood pressure and pulse. Any models do a good job with this. But it is worth remembering that electronic devices have a number of additional functions – remembering the latest indicators, using various measurement methods, indicators of the correct position, and so on.

What matters is the appearance, primarily the size of the display or mechanical pressure gauge. Pensioners and visually impaired people find it difficult to see small numbers, and with hearing problems it is impossible to work with a phonendoscope.

The optimal cuff size is about 20 cm, although the circumference of the arm may vary. It is better to fit flexibly adjustable cuffs so that there are no complications.

People who closely monitor their health will need additional functions, primarily memory cells for previous measurements. A big plus is an arrhythmia indicator and an alert about an increase in pressure.

Which tonometer to choose?

There are different models on the market. Doctors recommend when choosing to focus on the individual characteristics of a person:

1. age;

2. the presence of vascular and heart diseases;

3. the presence of problems with hearing and vision;

4. experience in measuring pressure.

For young people, compact automatic blood pressure monitors are suitable. They will help you get metrics almost instantly.

For people suffering from arrhythmias or heart disease, it is better to take models with accurate indicators. Also, the built-in memory will not be superfluous to track changes over a period of time.

Mechanical blood pressure monitors are a simple and durable option, but they require some knowledge. In addition, it will be difficult for people with low vision or hearing to count indicators.

When choosing, pay attention to the width and length of the cuff. It should not be too large so that there are no difficulties in the measurement process. The length of the tubes determines the freedom of movement during the procedure.

It is important to remember that expensive appliances are not the best. They may not be suitable for the specific requirements of the person. Inexpensive semi-automatic blood pressure monitors with some additional features are a good choice.

How much do blood pressure monitors cost?

1. The cost of simple models of automatic blood pressure monitors starts from 1,500 rubles, and for advanced models it reaches 10,000 rubles.

2. Semi-automatic models cost an average of 1300-2000 rubles.

3. A classic mechanical tonometer is sold for 700-800 rubles.

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In the next article, our experts will tell you how to choose the right tonometer for home use.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.