Blood Pressure Monitors
Blood Pressure Monitors questions and answers
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Q: Where can I find free blood pressure monitors?
I recently moved, and my blood pressure monitor is no longer working. Before I moved my doctor told me I had high blood pressure. I do not have a new doctor and cannot afford one at the moment. Is there anywhere I can order a free blood pressure monitor? Thank you.
A: You could goggle up some of the names of the blood Pressure Monitor companies. After you have found their information. Write to them about your situation ask them if they give free monitors or inexpensive monitors to people. They might just (this is not a definite)send to you a free blood pressure monitor. Let them know your situation, it never hurts to try.
Q: can anyone give me advice on blood pressure monitors?
I have two blood pressure monitors, and they give different readings when I take them the same time? which blood presure monitor is the best out there that can give accurate reading?
A: You're wasting your time and money, here's why:
First, blood pressure is a fluid and dynamic process, it changes with every breath and heartbeat. To eliminate those two variables one would have to essentially practice fooling a lie detector. You cannot change those variables so it makes all the repeated readings moot. Even if you use only one machine, the sequential readings will be different each time. They will stay within a certain range, and that is what the doctor needs to know.
Second, the blood pressure that these machines generally give are "good enough" for home use. That is, they provide the user with general information about how high one's pressure is. But there is no product on the market today that is 100% accurate. And guess what? There is no hospital in the United States that has a blood pressure machine that is 100% accurate.
Why?
The numbers that we read out, 120 over 80 (or whatever), is supposedly the pressure, at sea level, of blood exerted against a column of mercury. That is the original gold standard of blood pressure measurement. However, since mercury is now considered a toxin and is no longer allowed to be used, there are no longer mercury filled blood pressure machines. They are all filled with air instead, and a mathematical formula extrapolates the pneumatic pressure into a mercury pressure reading. But there is a problem with this, it makes the diastolic pressure artificially low, especially at the lower end readings. But clinically, they are considered to be "good enough" for their purpose.
My advice is, if the two machines read almost the same (eg 120 / 80 versus 128 / 84), then they are for all intents and purposes, exactly the same. If you get one reading of 120 /80 and the other is 170 / 100, then there is something obviously wrong with either device.
Blood pressure readings should be used to measure trends. One single reading is meaningless. If you measure persistently high over the course of several hours, then see your doctor.
Good luck.
Ralph
Q: How accurate are at-home blood pressure monitors?
I have an automatic blood pressure monitor that I bought today (Homedics brand) and I tried it out. The reading I got was 121/73, when I usually get 140/88 (in that range) when I use the one at Rite-Aid. Even the readings I got recently at the hospital were higher than I got today. Are these at-home ones inaccurate, or am I just much more calm and relaxed at home than I am in the ER/at the store?
A: Mercury manometers are considered to be the "gold standard" of measurement because their measurement is absolute and does not require re-calibration. For this reason they are often required in clinical trials of pharmaceuticals and for clinical evaluations of determining blood pressure for high risk patients including pregnant women.
Digital blood pressure monitors may sometimes give inaccurate reading but it is easy to operate even in noisy environments.
Q: Are home blood pressure monitors accurate?
I just got a new home blood pressure monitor called Omron HM780, supposedly accurate. Now when I go to the store my readings are between 130/85 to 148/95 and when I get home my readings are between 115/70 to 132/85 WHAT SHOULD I TRUST?
A: Make sure you are relaxed every time before you take it.
Q: How do blood pressure monitors work?
I mean as far as I can tell - there is just a band that inflates around your arm. How does that band read your pulse and blood pressure including systolic and diastolic readings?
A: A blood pressure cuff is first pumped up and that is to more or less cut off t he circulation. The pressure is then slowly released while listening with a stethoscope. As soon as the heartbeat is heard that is the systolic pressure or the pressure exerted against the vessel walls when the heart beats. Listening continues until no heart beat is heard and that gives the diastolic reading or the pressure exerted against the vessel wall when the heart is at rest. An automatic machine does the "listening" that a human does with the stethoscope. A BP cuff or monitor does not read heart rate, however, there are monitors that can do BP, heart rate and cardiac monitoring at the same time.
Q: Blood pressure monitors, wrist band versus arm band, which is the best?
Does anyone know which is the best type of blood pressure monitor to buy, wrist or arm? Do they work just as well as each other? What type do you have and does it corrilate with the doctors readings?
A: The arm band is much more accurate. The brachial artery (the one measured when blood pressure is taken on the arm) is a larger artery than the radial artery at the wrist. Furthermore, wrist cuffs can often slip.
For either method, though, you need to make sure the cuff is properly calibrated. Otherwise neither will be accurate.
Q: How good are at home Blood Pressure Monitors?
My husbands doctor wants him to monitor is pressure its 20 points lower than at the doctor 145/95 and at home its 125/85 it says in book it can vary 30-50 points how can that be my husband just started pressure meds this week or is it that these at home monitors are not that good do you have to spend a lot of money to have it be better? When is the best time to take it thank-you
A: If the cuff size is not right for your husband it can change his blood pressure, they are not one size fits all...... you might want to look into that. Nerves at the docs office can also raise the pressure. Taking it manually is pretty easy if you're interested....and can be cheaper than buying a new machine, let me know if you need help.
Q: How accurate are home blood pressure monitors?
I bought a manual inflate arm cuff blood pressure monitor that gives out a digital reading. The pharmacist recommended it over the auto inflate b/c it was half the price and he said that would be the only difference. The reason i purchased one is b/c i'm pregnant and my BP has been in the 140's over 80's at my docs office lately. When i take my BP at home with this monitor, it's been in the 120's over 70's. It's made by HoMedics. Thanks!
A: The best way to be sure -- is to take your home meter with you on your next doctor visit and do a side-by-side comparison: his (or her) professional reading, and your home reading.
If the two readings are close to the same then your home meter is accurate; if they are not close, then your home meter is not accurate.
Q: How effective are wrist blood pressure monitors?
thought it would be easier to do a daily blood pressure check
A: If they are positioned correctly and consistently, they're fairly reliable. Buy one and take it to your doctor's office. You shouldn't need an appointment for a B/P check. Have you pressure taken by a medical assistant and then 5 minutes later take your B/P yourself using the wrist cuff. If the cuff is accurate and you're perfoming this correctly, there should be no more than 2-3 mm/Hg variation for both systolic and diastolic. It's going to be a digital readout so you may see odd numbers as well as even. The sphygmomanometers used in medical settings will be read in even numbers or odd depending on the equipment used because some are also digital. Avoid taking B/Ps on the same arm more than twice in a row or you will get a false high. If you are unsatisfied, return the sphygmomanometer to the place of purchase.
Q: are home blood pressure monitors accurate?
i have a really good one. it cost about 100$. do their reading's tend to run higher or lower than your blood pressure actually is?
well, the trend is my bottom number seems to be higher. i am taking an alpha-beta blocker. what does this mean?
A: There is no way of answering this because some run high and some run low. These home monitors are just that - they "monitor" trends in your blood pressure so that you can see your doctor and give them an idea of where your blood pressures have been running. Your doctor wants to know trends (say your top number is consistently in the 150's), not exact numbers. Then, your doctor knows that he needs to adjust your blood pressure medications so that your top number can be lower.
Q: Blood pressure monitors question please?
can someone recommend me a good quality but affordable blood monitor. I just started having blood pressure issues and i dont know what brands are good when it comes to this. any advice would be appreciated, thanks
A: The best recognized brand, according to Consumer Reports, is Omron. They are available at most pharmacies, Kmarts, Walmarts, Targets, etc
Q: Are battery operated digital wrist held blood pressure monitors accurate compared to old mercury type?
I have recently bought a Braun battery operated wrist held digital blood pressure monitor to check pressure at home. Many persons say that these digital types are not accurate compared to old conventional mercury type. Then I checked and compared the readings of both types at same time and both gave different readings. Can anyone please advise whether the digital types give accurate readings or not ?.
A: Well, here's the deal. Blood pressure monitors are like your bathroom scale. If you are checking your readings with your machine around the same times every time you check it, it will be considered accurate for the purpose of keeping a record of your blood pressure when outside of your doctors office. generally the wrist held machines are not as accurate as the arm monitors but they cannot be measured against the mercury type machine which is not cost effective for the general public to have. So use your machine faithfully and keep your readings for your doctor to review.
Q: What pharmacies/stores have free blood pressure monitors in them?
Specifically in Boston/Brookline? Thanks.
A: Walmart, RiteAid, and almost any pharmacy should have one...Just take a look around but I know those two will have them
Q: What brand/model of home blood pressure monitors has the most accurate readings & is easy to use (for elderly)?
Prefer the type that has a cuff to be placed on the upper arm as opposed to the type that you wear on the wrist since the one on the arm is said to be more accurate. Thanks.
A: try Omron brand
Q: Do automatic blood pressure monitors loose their accuracy over time?
if they do..when should they be replaced?
what are the best brands?
A: They can; they really usually don't, but it is possible that they would. You should just make sure that you check it to make sure that it works right about once a year by having someone do it who knows their normal blood pressure