In order to end up with the blood pressure monitor best suited to your needs, you have to clearly understand what you are looking for and what options are available to you. This is done by researching in two areas.
Firstly, you research the market to find out what kinds of blood pressure monitors are available, familiarizing yourself with the different features, styles and price ranges etc. Secondly, you examine your own unique requirements in a blood pressure monitor.
Research the market: Blood Pressure Monitor essentials
The first part of the research step is to investigate just what's available in the blood pressure monitor market. The range of options can seem overwhelming, but you can make a good start by understanding the following major features:
Type: If your doctor wants you to buy a certain type, make sure you know what that is. You don't want to waste your time looking at aneroid monitors if you really need an ambulatory monitor.
There are three general types of blood pressure monitors: ambulatory, digital, and aneroid. Aneroid monitors are the hardest to use as they operate just like the one's you'd find in your doctor's surgery. The cuff needs to be manually pumped up and a stethoscope is required to listen to your heart beat.
Digital monitors are very easy to use because they're fully automatic - but their readings can be affected by body movements or an irregular heart rate.
Ambulatory monitors are small portable machines, that are worn under the clothes so that constant monitoring can be achieved, but should only be used on a doctor's orders.
Monitors may also be classified according to whether they are used on the arm or the wrist.
Cuff Size: Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for your cuff size. This is very important - you will not get an accurate reading if the cuff size is wrong.
Digital Display: The blood pressure monitor is worthless if you can't read the numbers on the display. If you have poor eyesight make sure you get a monitor with extra-large numbers.
Features: Blood pressure monitors can have a variety of features such as recording results to a computer, printing out readings or excessive movement monitors. Choose the features that are relevant to your needs.
Cost: If this is a factor, know that aneroid monitors tend to be less expensive than digital monitors. Just make sure you can use it easily before you buy it. Buying an inexpensive monitor you can't use is still a waste of money.
Research your needs: Questions to ask yourself
Now it's time to determine what your requirements are in a blood pressure monitor. For example, will you use the blood pressure monitor only for occasional checks or do you depend on regular, accurate monitoring?
You can start this process by considering the following questions - as well as any others you think of yourself - and recording your answers.
| Have you used a blood pressure monitor before? |
| | If you have used a blood pressure monitor, work out what you did or didn't like about the blood pressure monitor. You may be looking for one exactly like it, hoping to upgrade, or even trying to avoid any particular features that you found inconvenient. |
| How often does your doctor want you to check your blood pressure? |
| | This may be weekly or daily or maybe even several times a day. |
| Will you only be using it at home? |
| | You may need to take the blood pressure monitor with you when you travel. |
| Does your doctor want you to wear the monitor while exercising or completing other activities throughout your day? |
| | If you can't stop to take your blood pressure then consider an ambulatory monitor. |
| Are you hard of hearing? |
| | Some monitors require you to listen through a doctor's stethoscope. If you have hearing trouble you may want to use an automatic blood pressure monitor. |
| Do you have poor eyesight? |
| | If you have eyesight problems you may need a larger display or a monitor that prints out your result. |
Understanding your needs is the key to a successful purchase and you can revisit your list of needs at any time during the buying process.
Once you complete this Research step, having informed yourself about the essentials of blood pressure monitors and identified your needs, you are ready to move on to the next step: Evaluation.
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