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Blood Pressure Monitors
Things
You Need to Know About Home Blood Pressure Monitors
According to the American Heart Association, your small investment for
a blood pressure monitor is a significant step towards ensuring a
healthy heart. You can be more actively involved in your health care
and treatment
plans with blood pressure monitoring.
Weekly readings are more accurate gauges of average
blood pressure than those taken during regular health check ups.
Types of
Monitors
At the moment, there are three types of home blood pressure monitors
available on the market. Each one has its advantages although
for people who want automatic readings, the automatic arm and wrist
monitors are best. Both the automatic arm and wrist monitors
automatically inflate and deflate the cuff with a press of the button
and then display the results in their digital faces.
The manual
arm monitors are the traditional ones that require manual
operation of a bulb to inflate the cuff as well as an analog face for
the readings. You will need a stethoscope and a good ear to use this
monitor.
Instructions
The steps in using your home blood pressure monitor depend on its type.
As such, it is important to read the instruction manual first before
attempting to use the device.
For the
manual and digital types, the following general 
steps
apply:
- Locate the pulse, which should be located
in or near the brachial artery. You can either place the
stethoscope head (manual) or the arm cuff (digital) in the general
area.
- Secure the cuff by threading its end
through its metal loops and sliding the cuff to your arm or your
wrist. Make sure that it is just snug; not too tight, not too
lose.
- Inflate and deflate the cuff to get the
readings. You have to turn the airflow valve for manual
monitors and turn on the button for digital monitors.
If you are not satisfied with the accuracy of the readings, you have to
deflate the cuff completely and wait for about a minute before starting
the process all over again. Otherwise, you will still get
inaccurate readings.
Tips
for using the monitors
1- If possible, you have to avoid the factors that significantly affect
your blood pressure levels, which will only make your readings more
inaccurate. These factors include stress, smoking, cold
temperatures, exercise, caffeine consumption and certain medicines, of
which you must ask your doctor.
2- While you are at it, you should also
ask your doctor
about the
frequency of your blood pressure monitoring and be sure to follow it.
3- Similarly, you must record your readings: date, time and special
circumstances so that your doctor can recommend changes to your
lifestyle, when and where necessary.
4- Also, you must
sit
quietly and
relax
for five minutes prior to taking
your blood pressure reading. Your bladder must be empty at
this point as a full bladder will affect the final results.
5- But of course, your home blood pressure readings are only as
accurate as the device itself. As such, you have to have it
checked at least once a year with your doctor's office.
With these tips in mind, you should be able to get accurate readings
that can assist your doctor in making the right health decisions for
you. Keep in mind that either low or high blood pressure
requires medical attention.
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