Measuring blood pressure at home is not too difficult and anyone can master the technique of doing so with a little practice. All you need for the purpose is a good and reliable blood pressure monitor. And to be able to buy one, you must know about the various types of equipment available in the market so as to be able to take the correct decision.
Following types of various Types of Blood Pressure Monitors are today available in the market:
Manual Blood Pressure Monitors: Manual or aneroid BP monitors are the ones we usually see on the doctors’ table or in the hospitals. These are simple devices that consist of a stethoscope, an arm cuff, a squeeze bulb and a gauge where we see the blood pressure readings.
Mercurial/ Manual/ Aneroid Blood Pressure Monitor: Though a little difficult to use, these generally give the most accurate and reliable readings. One major drawback associated with them is their bulky size which makes it difficult to carry along while traveling. Also, one has to LEARN to take the correct reading with these monitors since these are manual, which comes only with a lot of practice.
Digital Monitors: Digital/ electronic/ automated blood pressure monitors are comparatively easier to use than a manual one since the systolic and diastolic readings can be seen on a small monitor screen. Though they do cost a little more than the manual monitors, they are easier to carry for a person who is always on the run or travels a lot.
The downside associated with a digital device is that you may NOT get a correct reading if the cuff is not wrapped properly around the wrist or arm cuff or finger. This should not deter you from using one. All you will need to do in this case is to take 2-3 readings to make sure that you get a reliable one.
Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors: Using a manual blood pressure monitor is not a possibility for people who have a fracture in the armor are suffering from disorders like arthritis in the elbow joints. To make things easier for them, we have wrist blood, pressure monitors. They come in small and compact carrying cases that carry a small cuff that is meant to be worn around the wrist and a display monitor where the readings are displayed.
Their compact size makes it the ideal travel companion for people who need to get their blood pressure monitored regularly. Further, if you are thinking of buying one you must make sure to buy a monitor with the right cuff size for you so that it fits you accurately.
Finger Blood Pressure Monitors: These are basically meant for people who need to get their BP monitored very frequently (say, two-three times a day) to ascertain the dose of their medicine, etc. This monitor consists of a small cuff that is worn around the index finger and a small display screen.
The biggest plus point of these monitors (besides, of course, the ease of carrying them) is that the hypertensive patient is not required to fold the sleeve of his shirt up every time he needs to take his BP reading. All you need to do in this case is wrap the cuff around the index finger properly to get a tight fit and wait for a few seconds till the reading is displayed on the monitor.
Pediatric blood pressure monitor: As is obvious from the name, pediatric blood pressure monitors are meant to be used on children. These monitors consist of a small cuff and a display screen which is almost the size of a video gaming device. The screen helps to keep the children calm and composed while their reading is being taken. It is usually used on extremely obese kids whose BP readings might be considerably higher than their fitter counterparts.
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