Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home

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Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home

Why should I measure my blood pressure at home and keep a record of it?

Measuring your blood pressure at home and keeping a record of the measurements will show you and

your doctor how much your blood pressure changes during the day. Your doctor can use your record ofmeasurements to see how well your medicine is working to control your high blood pressure. Also,measuring your own blood pressure is a good way to take part in managing your own health andrecognizing changes.

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What equipment do I need to measure my blood pressure?

To measure your blood pressure at home, you can use either an aneroid monitor or a digital monitor.Choose the type of monitor that best suits your needs.

The aneroid monitor has a gauge that is read by looking at a pointer on a dial. The cuff is placed aroundyour upper arm and inflated by hand, by squeezing a rubber bulb.

Digital monitors have either manual or automatic cuffs. The blood pressure reading flashes on a smallscreen.

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What are the pros and cons of the aneroid monitor?

One advantage of the aneroid monitor is that it can easily be carried from one place to another. Also, thecuff for the device has a built-in stethoscope, so you don't need to buy a separate stethoscope. It's also

easier to manage this way. The unit may have a special feature that makes it easy to put the cuff on withone hand. In addition, the aneroid monitor usually costs less than digital monitors. Aneroid monitors rangein price from about $20 to $40.

The aneroid monitor also has some disadvantages. First, it is a complicated device that can easily bedamaged and become less accurate. The device is also difficult to use if it doesn't have the specialfeature--a metal ring--that makes it easier to put the cuff on. In addition, the rubber bulb that inflates thecuff may be difficult to squeeze. This type of monitor may not be appropriate for hearing-impaired people,because of the need to listen to heart sounds through the stethoscope.

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What are the pros and cons of the digital monitor?

Because the digital monitor is automatic, it is the more popular blood-pressure measuring device. Theblood pressure measurement is easy to read, because the numbers are shown on a screen. Someelectronic monitors also have a paper printout that gives you a record of the blood pressure reading.

The digital monitor is easier to use than the aneroid unit. It has a gauge and stethoscope in one unit, andthe numbers are easy to read. It also has an error indicator, and deflation is automatic. Inflation of the cuffis either automatic or manual, depending on the model. This blood pressure monitoring device is good forhearing-impaired patients, since there is no need to listen to heart sounds through the stethoscope.


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A disadvantage of the digital monitor is that the accuracy is changed by body movements or an irregularheart rate. In addition, the monitor requires batteries. Some models are designed for use with the left armonly. This may make them hard for some patients to use. Finally, some digital monitors are expensive.They range in price from about $30 to more than $100.

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Can I use a finger/wrist blood pressure monitor?

Tests have shown that finger/wrist devices do not measure blood pressure very accurately. They areextremely sensitive to position and body temperature, and are more expensive than other monitors (oftencosting more than $100).

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Features to look for in a blood pressure monitor

y The right cuff size is very important. Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to tell you the cuff size youneed, based on the size of your arm. Blood pressure readings will be wrong if your cuff is the wrongsize.

y The numbers on the monitor should be easy for you to read.y If you are using a stethoscope, you must be able to hear heart sounds through it.y Cost may be an important factor. Since home blood pressure units vary in price, you may have to

shop around. The most expensive units might not be the best or the most accurate.

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How do I know if my monitor is accurate or if I am using it correctly?

Once you buy your monitor, take it to your doctor's office to be checked for accuracy. You should haveyour monitor checked once a year. Proper care and storage are also necessary. Make sure the tubing isnot twisted when the monitor is stored, and keep it away from heat. Periodically check the tubing forcracks and leaks.

Ask your doctor or nurse to teach you how to use your blood pressure monitor correctly. Proper use of itwill help you and your doctor achieve good results in controlling your blood pressure.

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Understanding the medical terms

y Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the artery.y Hypertension means high blood pressure.y Hypotension means low blood pressure.y Brachial artery is a blood vessel that goes from your shoulder to just below your elbow. You measure

the pressure in this artery.y Systolic pressure is the highest pressure in an artery when your heart is pumping blood to your

body.y Diastolic pressure is the lowest pressure in an artery when your heart is at rest.y Blood pressure measurement is made up of both the systolic and the diastolic pressure. It is

normally written like this: 120/80, with the systolic (top) number first.


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What do I need to do before I measure my blood pressure?

y Don't eat or use caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco products 30 minutes before measuring your bloodpressure.

y Go to the bathroom and empty your bladder before measuring your blood pressure.y Rest for 3 to 5 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Do not talk.y Sit in a comfortable position, with your legs and ankles uncrossed and your back supported.y Place your left arm, raised to the level of your heart, on a table or a desk, and sit still.y Wrap the cuff smoothly and snugly around the upper part of your bare arm. The cuff should fit

snugly, but there should be enough room for you to slip one fingertip under the cuff.

y Check to see that the bottom edge of the cuff is 1 inch above the crease of your elbow.

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How do I use a manual or aneroid monitor?

1. Put the stethoscope ear pieces into your ears, with the ear pieces facing forward.2. Place the stethoscope disk on the inner side of the crease of your elbow.3. Rapidly inflate the cuff by squeezing the rubber bulb to 30 to 40 points higher than your last

systolic reading. Inflate the cuff rapidly, not just a little at a time. Inflating the cuff too slowly willcause a false reading.

4. Slightly loosen the valve and slowly let some air out of the cuff. Deflate the cuff by 2 to 3millimeters per second. If you loosen the valve too much, you won't be able to determine yourblood pressure.

5. As you let the air out of the cuff, you will begin to hear your heartbeat. Listen carefully for the firstsound. Check the blood pressure reading by looking at the pointer on the dial. This number willbe your systolic pressure.

6. Continue to deflate the cuff. Listen to your heartbeat. You will hear your heartbeat stop at somepoint. Check the reading on the dial. This number is your diastolic pressure.

7. Write down your blood pressure, with the systolic pressure before the diastolic pressure (forexample, 120/80).8. If you want to repeat the measurement, wait 2 to 3 minutes before reinflating the cuff.

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How do I use a digital monitor?

1. Put the cuff around the arm. Turn the power on, and start the machine.2. The cuff will inflate by itself with a push of a button on the automatic models. On the

semiautomatic models, the cuff is inflated by squeezing the rubber bulb. After the cuff is inflated,the automatic mechanism will slowly reduce the cuff pressure.

3. Look at the display window to see your blood pressure reading. The machine will show yoursystolic and diastolic blood pressures on the screen. Write down your blood pressure, with thesystolic pressure before the diastolic pressure (for example, 120/80).

4. Press the exhaust button to release all of the air from the cuff.5. If you want to repeat the measurement, wait 2 to 3 minutes before reinflating the cuff.

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What does my blood pressure reading mean?


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Finding The Best Blood Pressure Monitors

High blood pressure is a major problem today and the biggest difficulty with this serious and often life-threateningcondition is that it rarely displays any symptoms at all.

For this reason, it is vital that we all have our blood pressure checked from time to time and there is no easier way to

do that nowadays than by using your own home blood pressure monitor.

Modern automatic monitors are simple to use and most have large digital readouts which are also very easy to read.Many also have memory facilities which allow you to keep a record or your blood pressure readings over time andsometimes to print these out or to load them into your computer where they can be plotted into a clear graphicalpicture.

One big problem for many people is choosing an automatic digital blood pressure monitor which suits their need (forexample with the right sized cuff) and budget and so we have looked at a number of the leading machines on sale sothat you can get a factual an un-biased view of each.

http://thebloodpressurecenter.com/


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Blood Pressure - Understand Your Blood Pressure

Your blood pressure directly affects your health and careful measuring with the

right equipment is essential for accurate readings

High Blood Pressure affects millions of people in the UK increasing the risk of stroke and heart attack.It has no symptoms. The only way for you to know if you have low, normal or high blood pressure is

to have it measured using an accurate blood pressure monitor.

A recent study showed that people who measure their blood pressure at home have better control of

their condition. It found that blood pressure was lower in people who had been checking their blood

pressure at home. More...

To understand more about what blood pressure is, what's normal and why it is important to lower

high blood pressure read the full information on the high blood pressure page. This site also

contains information about low blood pressure.

Blood pressure monitoring needs to give accurate readings if it is to be worthwhile. You may have

been advised to measure your blood pressure at home in order to get a more accurate record or your

readings or just want to keep a check on your own blood pressure. On this site you can access a

comprehensive fact sheet about how to measure blood pressure.

Blood pressure is more and more often measured using an automatic blood pressure monitor that can

also be used at home. For ease of use these machines can be fully automatic and measure blood

pressure correctly on the upper arm at heart level. The readings are given on a digital display and can

be stored in the monitor's memory or printed out.

Check your readings against this blood pressure chart and find out more about what the numbers

mean.

It is worth noting that electronic blood pressure measuring devices have the following advantages:

y Electronic blood pressure measuring devices are becoming the norm now mercury is being

phased out because of its hazardous nature.

y Most of these are now accurate enough for routine clinical use and are relatively inexpensive.

y Automatic machines don't require the use of a stethoscope to hear when the pulse stops and

begins to determine the two readings (systolic and diastolic pressure)

y They eliminate many of the errors in blood pressure measurement that human beings can

generate.

You can buy top models of blood pressure monitors from online medical supply shops such

asMedisave who offer the latest approved models from leading brands such as Omron including the

latest omron m10-it blood pressure monitor, A&D and Microlife at heavily discounted online prices.

http://www.blood-pressure-monitoring.org/


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Blood Pressureis the measurement of pressure of the blood flowing through your blood vessels (called

arteries) against the vessel walls. Medindia's simple tool alerts you if for your age your blood pressure is

abnormal by displaying the normal values.

This measurement is important if you are using a home electronic device to check your blood pressure.Please remember to put on the cuff properly and if your pressure is high check it again when you are morerelaxed. Please remember that your pressure may be higher after a meal or exercise.

High Blood Pressure- the heart exerts more force to pump the same quantity of blood within the same time.

Main Reasons for high blood pressure: hereditary, mental tension, excess intake of common salt, over-

weight, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and excess intake of alcohol.

http://www.medindia.net/patients/calculators/bp_chart.asp

An international journal devoted to research in blood pressure monitoring and variability, Blood Pressure

Monitoring contains papers dealing with all aspects of manual, automated, and ambulatory monitoring.

Blood Pressure Monitoring is devoted to original research in blood pressure measurement and blood

pressure variability. It includes device technology, analytical methodology of blood pressure over time and

its variability, clinical trials -- including, but not limited to, pharmacology -- involving blood pressure

monitoring, blood pressure reactivity, patient evaluation, and outcomes and effectiveness research.

This innovative journal contains papers dealing with all aspects of manual, automated, and ambulatory

monitoring. Basic and clinical science papers are considered although the emphasis is on clinical medicine.

http://www.ovid.com/site/catalog/Journal/671.jsp


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Get the most out of home blood pressuremonitoring

Checking your blood pressure at home is an important part of managing high

blood pressure. Find out how to use home monitors accurately.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Checking your blood pressure at home is an important part of managing high blood pressure

(hypertension). The American Heart Association and other organizations recommend anyone with high

blood pressure monitor his or her blood pressure at home. Home monitoring can help you keep tabs

on your blood pressure in a familiar setting, make certain your medication is working, and alert you

and your doctors to potential health complications.Because blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription, home monitoring is

an easy step you can take to improve your condition. Before you get started, it's important to know

the right technique and to find a good home blood pressure monitor.

Why do I need to monitor my blood pressure at home?

Monitoring your blood pressure at home offers several benefits. It can:

Help make an early diagnosis of high blood pressure. If you have prehypertension, or anothercondition that could contribute to high blood pressure, such as diabetes or kidney problems, homeblood pressure monitoring could help your doctor diagnose high blood pressure earlier than if you

have only infrequent blood pressure readings in the doctor's office.

Help track your treatment. Home blood pressure monitoring can help people of all ages keep track

of their condition including children and teenagers who have high blood pressure. Self-monitoringprovides important information between visits to your doctor. The only way to know whether your

lifestyle changes or your medications are working is to check your blood pressure regularly. Keeping

track of changes can help you and your health care team make decisions about your ongoingtreatment strategy, such as adjusting dosages or changing medications.

Encourage better control. Taking your own blood pressure measurements can result in better bloodpressure control. You gain a stronger sense of responsibility for your health, and you may be even

more motivated to control your blood pressure with an improved diet, physical activity and proper

medication use.

Cut your health care costs. Home monitoring may cut down on the number of visits you need tomake to your doctor or clinic. This can reduce your overall health care costs, lower your travel

expenses and save in lost wages.

Check if your blood pressure is different outside the doctor's office. Your doctor may suspectthat your blood pressure goes up due to the anxiety associated with being at the doctor's office, but is

otherwise normal a condition called white-coat hypertension. Monitoring blood pressure at home or

work, where that kind of anxiety won't cause those spikes, can help see if you have true high blood

pressure or simply white-coat hypertension.

Home and workplace monitoring may also help when the opposite occurs your blood pressureseems fine at the doctor's office, but is elevated elsewhere. This kind of high blood pressure,


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sometimes called masked hypertension, is more common in women and those with cardiovascular risk

factors, such as obesity, high blood cholesterol and high blood sugar.

Not everyone can track blood pressure at home. If you have an irregular heartbeat, home blood

pressure monitors might not give you an accurate reading. In some cases, the type of monitor you

use could depend on your physical condition. If you're overweight or very muscular, you'll need to find

a monitor with a larger arm cuff. If you have hearing loss, a monitor with a digital display may bemore suitable.

Talk to your doctor, nurse or other health care professional about whether home monitoring is a good

option. Keep in mind that a family member or friend who is properly trained may be able to take blood

pressure measurements for you.

Types of home monitors

Today, most pharmacies, medical supply stores, and some Internet sites sell home blood pressure

monitors. All monitors have the same basic parts an inflatable cuff or strap, a gauge for readouts,

and sometimes a stethoscope, depending on the type of monitor you choose.

Cuff. The cuff consists of an inner layer made of rubber that fills with air and squeezes your arm. Thecuff's outer layer is generally made of nylon and has a fastener to hold the cuff in place.

Gauge. Blood pressure monitors are either digital or aneroid. The aneroid monitors have a gauge witha dial on it that points at a number related to your blood pressure. Some older gauges look similar toa thermometer and contain mercury. Mercury devices should never be used in the home.

Stethoscope. Some blood pressure monitors come with a stethoscope. It's used to listen to thesounds your blood makes as it flows through the brachial artery in the crook of your elbow. However,

without proper training, it's difficult to interpret those sounds. Digital blood pressure cuffs usually have

a built-in sensor that records the information for you.

There are two types of home blood pressure monitors:

Manual devices. Manual blood pressure monitors use a stethoscope and an inflatable arm cuffconnected by a rubber tube to a gauge that records the pressure. To measure your blood pressure,

you inflate the cuff that goes around your arm by pumping a bulb at one end of the tube. You then

check your blood pressure with a stethoscope listening to the sounds of blood flow through the

main artery in your upper arm as the pressure decreases in the cuff. Manual monitors are usually less

expensive than digital monitors, but can be more difficult to use.

Digital devices. Digital monitors have a cuff and a gauge that records the pressure. The cuffautomatically inflates at the touch of a button. These devices automatically calculate heart rate andcheck your blood pressure by measuring the changes in the motion of your artery as the blood flows

through the artery while the cuff deflates. Some even give you an error message if you aren't wearing

the cuff properly. Digital monitors also deflate automatically.

Digital monitors can be fitted on the upper arm, wrist or finger. Arm devices are the most accurate.

One use for wrist monitors is for those people for whom a large upper arm cuff is too small or can't be

used because of shape or pain from the pressure of the cuff when it inflates. Be sure your arm is at

heart level when using a wrist monitor. Devices that measure your blood pressure at your finger are

not recommended.


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Talk over the choices with your doctor or nurse so that you pick the monitor that's best for your

situation.

Public blood pressure machines

Public blood pressure machines, such as those found in pharmacies, may not be accurate. They may

not have been properly maintained, and the cuff may not be the correct size for you, depending onthe size of your arm. You shouldn't rely on public blood pressure machines to regularly measure your

blood pressure.


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Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home

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