To be able to keep track of your blood pressure numbers, it’s best to have a machine that you can use at home. This way, you’ll be able to track what influences your numbers and how well you’re doing.
You’ll be able to catch any spikes in your numbers and get on the road to getting them within a healthy range. By keeping an eye on the numbers, you can often prevent problems with your blood pressure before they become significant.
Because there are so many monitor choices that you can buy, you’ll want to follow some guidelines to make sure that you get one that’s good for you. One of the biggest issues that people run into when choosing a monitor is with the size of the cuff.
If you buy a monitor with a cuff that’s too small, it’s not going to give you correct numbers. Plus, you’ll run into problems with the cuff popping off and you’ll end up having to hold it in place, which can affect the reading.
Look for machines that have undergone testing and say that they’re “clinically validated.” This means that you’ll get reliable readings that are accurate when you use it.
There are different styles for these machines. You can buy one for the arm or for use on the wrist. You can also get machines that you have to pump to inflate the cuff, but for best results, you’ll want to look for ones that auto inflate.
These machines will pump the cuff to the right fill pressure and then will slowly release it. This removes any guesswork on your part and can give you better accuracy.
You’ll want to look for an auto inflate monitor that clearly labels the systolic and diastolic pressure. Look for monitors that also give you your heart rate and will alert you if there’s any sign of an arrhythmia.
Having a monitor with long term memory capacity can help you keep track of your average numbers. This way, you can look back and know how you’re doing at keeping your blood pressure under control.
It’s helpful to have a monitor that will give you the date as well as the time. This information can help you see if your blood pressure is higher at certain times of the day. It’s also helpful for use in determining if your blood pressure is good after certain activities.
Many of these monitors have a built-in alert that will warn you if your blood pressure is higher than what’s considered normal. You’ll want to make sure the machine you pick has that ability.
Also look for a monitor that has a clearly marked and easily accessible stop button. This way, if you need to stop the test in a hurry for some reason, you can quickly do it. These monitors aren’t expensive, but you can expect to pay close to $50 for a good quality monitor.
