High blood pressure is one of the most common diseases prevalent worldwide. It triggers more heart attacks and strokes globally than any other diseases and kills more people than smoking and diabetes combined.
If you have ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure, then it is high time to purchase a blood pressure monitor and keep a track of your health on regular basis. Rather than heading towards the doctor’s office, it is recommendable to check it at home only.
Your blood pressure can vary according to different factors like posture, diet, medications, sleep and emotions. That is why you will find different readings at different doctor’s offices. A home monitor can be especially useful for patients who are undergoing high blood pressure treatment.
With the advancement of technology, we have a number of blood pressure monitors available in the market. This has made difficult for customers to choose the best option. This article will guide on how to purchase the best blood pressure monitor.
Types
Home blood pressure monitors come in two different models: wrist cuff and arm cuff models. Both of them has its own pros and cons.
- Cuffs are automatically inflated with arm monitors. Most come with risk category indicators that will indicate high readings. There are some models that have multiple user memories which allow more than a person to monitor and record blood pressure. However, correct fit of the cuff is necessary or you may get inaccurate readings.
- Wrist blood pressure monitor is convenient and fully automatic however they may be less precise than arm monitors. They are portable, lightweight and compact however, the pressure measurements are highly responsive to body position. The cuff must be placed at heart level for perfect reading.
Cost
Cost is one of the most important factors when purchasing a blood pressure monitor. The recommended models were priced between $40 and $80 but you can carry your own research. Also find out if the insurance covers these monitors.
Check the fit
The blood pressure monitor you purchase must have a cuff that fits rightly in your arm. Using a cuff that doesn’t fit perfectly can result into inaccurate readings. Most arm models come with two set of cuffs that can be adjusted to fit most of the people. Wrist models also come with proper fitting generally.
Easy to use
There are a lot of options in the market that are pretty technical to use. It is recommended to go for easy-to-use options. Display on the monitor should be simple to read. The buttons must be large enough and the directions for using the cuff and monitor must be clear and precise.
Features
There are several features that vary from monitor to monitor. Select option that compliments your needs and demands. There are many features like multiple cuffs, risk category indicator, data averaging function and memory download capability that you may want to choose. Go through different options and select with the best features.
