Technological advancements have made it possible to stay up to date with our health status. Digital blood pressure monitor machines are the handiest devices the age of technology has given us.
This device helps you monitor your blood pressure daily at home and maintain a record of the measurements. This record is additionally helpful on your doctor visits and tells the healthcare provider of the various changes that occur in it throughout a day.
For those patients who consume blood pressure medicines, a digital blood pressure monitor helps documenting and working on their condition better. If you are not aware of the beneficial features of this helpful medical device, continue reading till the end for all the information you need.
Digital Monitor
These monitors are more common in households because of the ease of use for everyone. With a stethoscope and gauge in every unit, even a child of nine or ten can operate it quite easily. The digital monitors come with an in-built error indicator so you can rely on the accuracy of the readings.
Furthermore, the digital monitors feature a small screen that display the BP readings. Nearly everyone finds this screen easier to comprehend than a dial. In fact, many of the advanced digital monitors now come with printout options too. With this, you instantly get your reading on record on a paper.
Most importantly, this device is extremely helpful for those patients who have impaired hearing and cannot hear their heartbeats through a stethoscope. Digital monitors make BP reading so easy for such people specifically.
They can come with an either manual or automatic cuff and the model determines the type. If you prefer the automatically inflating cuffs, you can look for the newer models in the market. However, inflation is an automatic process in all types of digital models.
The only time your reading can fail to show or the monitor may not perform is when you have an irregular heartbeat or move your body. These actions and conditions can hamper with the accuracy of the reading.
Many digital blood pressure monitors also work on the left arm only, which can be a drawback for several patients.
Benefits of Using Digital Blood Pressure Monitors
We recommend using a blood pressure at home if you suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension. It is a wise approach to track your health daily and take immediate measures to bring your numbers under control, when they’re high.
The primary benefit of using a digital blood pressure reading device is that the entire process is automatic and the user has no difficulty. From placing the cuff around their wrist or arm to turn on the device and letting the cuff inflate, the measurement is almost effortless.
Once the monitor records the user’s blood pressure, it shows the readings on the screen and that’s all the process entails. You can now find a wide range of digital monitors that come with clinical validation, for added convenience at home.
The ideal reading for controlled blood pressure must be within the range of 120 for systolic and 80 for diastolic. If your monitor consistently gives reading higher than this range, then it is best to consult your GP.
There are several types of digital monitors that users can now find, but experts generally advice not to rely on the finger type. They do not provide readings that are as reliable and accurate as the wrist or arm monitors.
Things to Know When Buying a Digital Blood Pressure Monitor
When you’re out to buy a blood pressure monitor for your home use, here are some essential requisites to take note of.
1. Wrist Cuffs or Arm Cuffs for You?
Digital blood pressure monitors comes by the dozen, both in stores and online. However, the experts recommend using a monitor, preferably that contains an automatic cuff to wrap around your upper arm.
You will find this feature in most monitors that check brachial blood pressure and doctors recommend it for convenience. These are especially more beneficial for users over the age of fifty. For those under fifty, wrist cuffs might be an acceptable feature.
2. The Appropriate Size for Your Use
Pay close attention to the size of the monitor you want for your personal use. By size here, we refer to your arm’s circumference. This is highly important because any ill-fitting cuff will surely give you inaccurate readings.
According to the American Heart Associate and the American College of Cardiology, the following are the ideal sizes in blood pressure monitors:
- For adult average, twenty-seven to thirty-four centimeters of the arm size is appropriate.
- For a small adult, the appropriate circumference is twenty-two to twenty-six centimeters of the arm. In inches, it will measure around 8.5 to 10”.
For a large adult, having an arm circumference of thirty-five to forty-four centimeters will be the perfect size.
3. Digital Monitors don’t necessarily need Smart Apps
Your smartphone can surely yield up a dozen or more apps for blood measurement from the store. There is no need to look for these when you go shopping for your digital blood pressure monitor. The apps are not accurate most of the time and you don’t really need them when you have an authentic device to use.
You will find several apps promising to read your blood pressure accuracy with advanced pulse waves velocity and features. But the last thing you need is false information to guide your healthcare routine. Hence, always rely on the clinically approved tools rather than anything else.
Final Thoughts
Digital blood pressure monitors help people suffering from hypertension keep a track of their blood pressure reading. By recording and documenting your blood pressure every day, you are able to treat the condition more successfully along with the medicines.
To buy a digital monitor, it is important to prioritize certain features in addition to clinical approval. In the end, the most important thing to remember is to always take three blood pressure readings automatically. This will boost your monitor’s accuracy and keep you appropriately updated.
