Measuring and monitoring the blood pressure at home and keeping a proper record of the same helps the doctor to understand the fluctuation in your blood pressure levels during a day. This will also help the elderly to understand the intensity of their problem and give them an opportunity to work on it and get better.
The traditional aneroid monitor, although quite effective, comes with a lot of disadvantage. Firstly, we cannot completely call it user-friendly in terms of reading the BP levels, ensuring the cuff is placed properly etc., and it is also not friendly for those who have hearing issues (for one needs to hear their heart sound through the stethoscope).
The automatic blood pressure monitor, on the other hand, is a lot easier and it is digital! It would be wise to save some money and invest in a fully digital one and not go for the semi-manual version of it. Following are some important tipis on how to choose your BP monitor:
- Ensure to measure your blood pressure at your upper arm for better results
- Ensure that your automatic blood pressure monitor is validated clinically. This means that it should have gone through its necessary rests, with a proof of passing the test and it should also give the results that the Doctors can actually use
- The cuff size is the second most important aspect of the monitor. The upper arm monitor will come with a cuff which needs to be wrapped around the arm before checking the BP levels. If the cuff size is wrong, your reading will be wrong too. Therefore, measure your upper arm at the midpoint (exactly between the shoulder and elbow) and choose the right cuff size accordingly. Example if your measurement is somewhere between 18-22 Cms – buy small cuff size, 22-32 cms – buy medium and for 32-46 Cms buy large cuff size
- Let the price of the automatic blood pressure not put you off. Sometimes, they come with inbuilt memory at a significant additional cost. Instead, go purpose driven – which is essentially the machine giving you the right BP levels. You could always make a note of your level on a paper
- Ensure to calibrate your monitor every once a year. All you need to do is send it back to your manufacturer