Are you wondering which type of BP Monitor you should buy for your home use? In this post, we have discussed various types of Blood Pressure Monitor which are available in the market. While many different types are used by doctors in clinics or hospitals, the most popular one for home use is a digital BP Monitor.
Recent Covid 19 pandemic also has shown that people with high BP are prone to greater mortality or more severe infection with the virus. Hence, it is important that you monitor your BP regularly and live a healthy lifestyle to keep this silent killer at bay! If you are already planning to use blood pressure monitor at home, you have taken a good decision.
Monitoring your blood pressure at home on a regular basis provides you and your doctor with the advance information to best read and manage your Hypertension problem. In case you are still wondering about the problem of Hypertension or High Blood Pressure, please read our post here.
If you have decided to get home a digital BP monitor, you can buy one from our selection by clicking on the options below.
We have selected following products based on brand reputation, ease of use, durability and user reviews/ popularity.
Would you like to learn more on various types of Blood Pressure monitors? Please read on.
Why is having a Blood Pressure Monitor at home advantageous?
More and more doctors and health care experts are advising to guard against high blood pressure or hypertension.
A home BP monitor or BP machine has advantages in that you can record your blood pressure at the convenience of your home. You can measure the same more regularly, understand if they are going high or low. Then you can consult your doctor with advance knowledge about your body behaviour.
Whereas in a clinic, you can take BP once in a while as it is practically impossible to visit a clinic every day or even once in few days. With a personal BP monitor at home, you can check it more frequently.
If you observe that you have continued high blood pressure for a few weeks or months, you know that you have High Blood Pressure or Hypertension.
Does our blood pressure fluctuate from time to time?
Yes, do not be alarmed though. It is normal for our blood pressure to change throughout day and night, or in different situations. For example, stress level, food or drink, physical exercises all affect blood pressure readings.
Medical studies indicate that person’s blood pressure can vary up to 20 points in a day depending on the above factors. Also, you need to measure your blood pressure when your body is relatively quiet , and not immediately after heavy food, drink, or heavy exercises.
You should check your blood pressure on a regular basis and you can do this at home only with a handy BP monitor. In case you observe high blood pressure persisting for any days or weeks, you will need to consult your doctor.
What is a blood pressure monitor?
A blood pressure monitor or BP machine is also known as a sphygmomanometer, or blood pressure meter, or blood pressure gauge.
This device consists of three main components : (a) an inflatable cuff to collapse and then release the artery under the cuff in a controlled manner (b) a suitable mechanism for inflation, which is typically a manually operated bulb and valve system or a pump operated electrically and (c) a mercury or mechanical manometer which can be used to measure the pressure of blood flow.
What are the different types of blood pressure monitors?
Blood pressure monitors or BP monitors vary depending upon (1) how you inflate the cuff for creating blood pressure and (2) various cuff types which are used.
In the first category ( 1 above, i.e. method of creating blood pressure), there are two types of BP monitors: Aneroid or Manual and Digital.
Aneroid BP monitors:
In this instrument, there is a bulb and valve system, which you need to squeeze to inflate the cuff around your upper arm and create pressure of blood flow. Then, you read a mechanical manometer for knowing blood pressure. However, this requires use of a stethoscope to determine at what pressure blood flow is just starting, and at what pressure it is unimpeded (not obstructed).
Hence, doctors and expert practitioners in clinics can only use this manual BP monitor. Often doctors can also get a basic reading of systolic blood pressure through palpitation.
Digital BP monitors:
Digital blood pressure (BP ) monitor employ oscillometric measurements and electronic calculations rather than listening to sound of heart with a stethoscope. (This process of listening is also called medically, “auscultation”).
Digital BP monitors come with manual or auto inflation techniques. However, nowadays most digital BP monitors automatically inflate the cuff for you. The machine gradually reduces the pressure similarly as a manual meter. The blood pressure is measured by the oscillometric method. Your BP reading are shown on a small electronic panel or screen.
These are super easy to use and quite handy & portable. When you would like to check your blood pressure at home all by yourself, this is the best option to go for.
Classification of Blood Pressure Monitor as per various cuff types
The other classification of a BP monitor is according to the type of cuff used. The cuff is wrapped around the area of body and artery, at which pressure is measured.
There are three types of cuffs: Arm, Wrist and Finger, based on where the cuff is wrapped around for measuring your blood pressure. In all cases, measurement should be taken while these cuffs are raised to the same height as the heart.
Arm type: The most popular ones are the Arm type BP monitors. In this type, the cuff is placed around the upper arm at which point the pressure is getting measured. Therefore, you can easily place your upper arm wrapped with the cuff easily at heart level in a sitting position. This is very convenient to use.
Wrist type: The cuff is wrapped around the wrist. This may be less accurate than ones that use an arm type cuff. This is due to the fact that BP reading should be taken while the arteries are at heart level. For wrist type cuff, sometimes it can be difficult.
But still wrist option is good if arm cuff hurts or if your upper arm is too large or you would need to monitor blood pressure at night while sleeping.
Finger cuff BP monitor: This type of monitor measures blood pressure on the index finger. It has a finger cuff similar to the upper arm or wrist cuff. It is quite portable, looks quite cool and is non-threatening to children. However, subsequent studies and user reviews suggest that some of these monitors may be giving inaccurate results.
Which BP monitor I should use at home?
Digital BP monitors are most popular for measuring blood pressure a home. They are quite handy, portable and easy to use than Aneroid or manual monitors. Only trained practitioners and doctors can use manual or aneroid meters, as these require use of stethoscope and close listening to the heartbeat during the measuring process. Most popular cuff types for digital BP monitor are (1) Arm type, (2) Wrist type and (3) Finger type in this order.
The digital BP monitor can give your blood pressure reading with one touch and also comes with error indicator. Some units even have a paper printout that gives you a record of the reading.
Blood Pressure Monitors on Amazon India for Home
How do I use a digital BP monitor?
Well, with a digital BP monitor in your hand, it is fairly easy to do your regular BP check. Just take the following simple steps and care:
- Sit in a comfortable place, in a chair with back support across a table or desk.
- Plug your BP monitor to a power source or you can use the same with batteries
- Sit straight and steady with both feet on the floor, while resting the arm on table
- Make sure your arm is at level with your heart
- Keep your arm stretched and palm upward
- Wrap the cuff around your upper arm one inch above elbow bend. Make sure the tubing is not coiled and is over the front of your arm.
- Put the cuff so that it’s just tight around your arm, so that you can only slip one or two fingertips under cuff edge.
- Sit quietly for three to five minutes beforehand; Wait few seconds, be steady and press the Start button on the monitor and sit still and quiet.
- The monitor will start measuring- cuff will inflate, then slowly deflate showing the pressure readings on the panel
- When the reading is complete, the monitor displays your blood pressure and pulse rate on the panel.
- Your blood pressure is shown in 2 numbers – Upper number is systolic and lower number is diastolic pressure
- Sometimes if the monitor is not able to record, due to cuff being loose or tight or some other reason, it will give an error indicator
- You can restart the process, after waiting and giving a gap of 1-2 mins
Record your numbers on a note pad or in a health app on your smart phone, if available.
What should I look for in a BP monitor?
You should keep the following in mind
- Power source: The Monitor should have both battery and AC adaptor option. This will save you battery consumption.
- Cuff size: Check the measurement of cuff size – in case your upper arm is large and cuff does not fit too well, readings can be inaccurate and inconsistent.
- Pulse: Most BP monitors come with heart beats per second indicator.
- Warranty: Usually, these BP monitors come with warranty of 6 months to 1 year.
There are many other features such as storing blood pressure readings in the memory of the device or output the same to PC or mobile phone.
We think that it is best to record this manually on a note pad or in heath app on your smartphone.
Where can I buy BP monitors?
There is a range of good digital BP monitors which you can buy online on Amazon India or Flipkart. Please see our selections below and buy today!
Buy from our selections by clicking through the products below.
We have selected following products based on brand reputation, ease of use, durability and user reviews/ popularity.
Conclusion
If you are planning to use blood pressure monitor at home, you have taken the right first step towards fighting hypertension in your lives. Though there are various types of BP monitors available online in India, upper arm type digital BP monitor is best suited for home use. If however you have very thick upper arm or other issues as cited in our article , then you can use a wrist type monitor quite well.
Wish you have a fit and healthy life !