Blood pressure monitors are standard equipment at a doctor’s office or hospital. Since deviations from normal pressure may signal serious health problems and elevated risks of heart attack and stroke, taking a reading is standard procedure during a check-up.
As you know, monitors are standard equipment in doctor’s offices and the usual type is an upper arm cuff. These are the kind that have been proved to be the most reliable. Although there are manual ones still on the market, the ones with dials or digital displays are the easiest to use without medical training.
Higher than recommended pressure levels for your age group may mean that you have a serious condition, while rapid deviations in pressure signal even more serious concerns. If you have a history of high pressure or other chronic health problems, checking your readings at home can give both you and your doctor valuable information.
Doing home monitoring is also useful to track the efficacy of life style changes, which should be your first remedial attempt. If you see that walking a mile or more a day shows gratifying results, you will be more likely to continue the exercise. If cutting down on processed salt and fried foods has a beneficial effect, you will be motivated to stay on your diet.
Choose a model that has been clinically tested for accuracy and consistency. Any nurse or pharmacist can show you how to measure your pressure properly and can answer your questions. Having a monitor at home is better than trying to use public machines, which are not noted for accuracy or for having the proper cuff size for an accurate result.
There are manual monitors, but the automatic ones are easier to use. They will take the reading for you, and many will inflate and deflate automatically as well. Choosing one of the blood pressure monitors with large digital displays makes reading your numbers easy, and many will also let you keep a record of your scores for days or months.
Choosing the correct blood pressure monitor for your personal use can be a tricky thing to do. The Omron HEM-712C Blood Pressure Monitor is a great monitor for at home use. The Omron HEM-712C gives clear blood pressure readings to assist both you and your doctor.