I asked my GP if she could recommend a home blood pressure monitor. Without the least hesitation she recommended the one below, and quickly brought it up on Amazon to show me. I just ordered it – $28.68.
Omron 3 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor; 14-Reading Memory, Soft Wide-Range Cuff
The brand is fine. I bought the more expensive model. Bring it with you to the doctors office to check against their machine. Take pressures in morning and evening. Carefully follow the instructions.
Posts: 17812 | Location: Stuck at home | Registered: January 02, 2015
"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy "A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
Posts: 13408 | Location: In the gilded cage | Registered: December 09, 2007
I've had 2 Omron Upper Arm BP Monitors that measured my diastolic 8-10 points higher than when taken with a manual cuff and stethoscope. That's enough to send me into hypertension as it is. So I've started taking my home pressure reading with a grain of friggin' salt. I compared them both during rehab with the nurse's readings.
As a result, I actually have ZERO faith in any home BP monitor now, or for that fact, ANY "automatic" BP machine, and am sick and tired of spending money on them. And yes...I have CAREFULLY followed the instructions to a tee for both left and right arms, taking CAREFUL note of where the brachial artery is in each.
"If you’re a leader, you lead the way. Not just on the easy ones; you take the tough ones too…” – MAJ Richard D. Winters (1918-2011), E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil... Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 5:20,24
I recently bought an Omron 7 wrist model because that was what my doctor was using. The upper arm may be more accurate than the wrist model, but the wrist model is handier. I’m not sure you can get bench rest accuracy with either one. There seem to be too many factors that affect your pressure. I’ve compared the readings of the new wrist model to my old upper arm cuff and they are close enough to suit me. YMMV
That's enough to send me into hypertension as it is. So I've started taking my home pressure reading with a grain of friggin' salt. I compared them both during rehab with the nurse's readings.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Are you sure the nurse's readings are correct? I have had no trouble with my home blood pressure reading. Are the systolic readings accurate??
Posts: 17812 | Location: Stuck at home | Registered: January 02, 2015
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Systolic is fairly accurate. I go to rehab 3 times a week, and I feel confident the nurse/therapist knows what she's doing. All 4 of them. And their readings are backed up and VERY close to the readings I get from my Cardiologist's office.
These home machines just have something against my dago butt...
p.s. I went so far as to buy a decent Littmann stethoscope to find where the brachial artery is in each arm. Still no help with the Omron. Wadyuh gonna do?? [shrug]
"If you’re a leader, you lead the way. Not just on the easy ones; you take the tough ones too…” – MAJ Richard D. Winters (1918-2011), E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil... Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 5:20,24
I have the Omron and an old school one with the guage and the rubber bulb you squeeze. My wife does the checking for me since she is an RN. We get both checked at the Dr.'s office for accuracy.
Posts: 5385 | Location: basement | Registered: April 06, 2007
Digital units, I am told, often show higher readings than those taken professionally, at least on this Pollack and one Ago I know. They're good tools for what they are-a screening device.
Posts: 17376 | Location: Lexington, KY | Registered: October 15, 2006
Let me share my experience, although not with that model specifically.
My arm is larger. This is a problem for a lot of home monitors, even ones that say they are for larger arms. I think it is 17" maybe.
My self monitoring home one (Micro-something brand) would read 180+ and freak me out. Absolutely send me into panic mode.
Those drug store machines read like it as well.
Another doctor office (like a dentist) used a wrist one. Not accurate, but it read 140s.
About the same time I had my physical at my Dr. office. I had the nurse do the normal check the second I sat down. 130. This is with the good, certified Welch Allyn wall mounted unit and a proper cuff. Pretty much what it always is there when checked first thing.
I mentioned my concerns to my Dr. He checked it was well, being extra cautious. After sitting for a bit, I was at 114.
I'm at the point I may just buy my own wall mounted manual Welch Allyn and have my wife do it (nurse).
Posts: 17944 | Location: SE Michigan | Registered: February 10, 2007
I have the Omron wrist monitor, and have been using it for the last 3 years or so. If it is reading a little bit high, then i am in great shape, as I am happy with the readings. I do my BP readings TID (3 times/day)
Posts: 6823 | Location: Az | Registered: May 27, 2005
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