Evaluate how well a Blood Pressure Monitor meets your needs and compares to competing products
If you've completed step one you've identified what you need in a blood pressure monitor and you've learned about the different features of blood pressure monitors. While you were doing your research, you probably started the process of determining which features - and thus which type of blood pressure monitor - will best meet your needs. Now you are going to continue that process, but in greater detail.
In this step you will
evaluate the blood pressure monitors available on the market to determine how well they meet your personal needs and establish, by a process of elimination, an initial short-list of contenders. Then you will compare these short-listed blood pressure monitors to find out which ones stand out from the competition.
Evaluate how well a Blood Pressure Monitor meets your needs
Your priority at this point in your evaluation is to find the available blood pressure monitors in the market that best meet your needs. You can save a lot of time during this activity by quickly eliminating any blood pressure monitors that are unsuitable because they don't meet your key requirements. For example, if you have a limited budget for this purchase then you can ignore any blood pressure monitors that clearly exceed your price limit.
There are dozens of blood pressure monitors on the market today from which to choose. The most common and easiest types to use are the arm and wrist blood pressure monitors. Wrist blood pressure monitors are more compact and are easily transportable if you want to carry your monitor with you to work or on trips.
Arm blood pressure monitors can also be purchased with a carrying case for ease of transport. Arm monitors are larger and slightly more cumbersome, however they generally have additional features that the wrist blood pressure monitors do not. For example, there are arm monitors that can also measure your pulse and check for irregular heartbeats.
If you are required to monitor your blood pressure frequently throughout the day you may need to purchase an ambulatory monitor. These are small machines that are worn under the clothing and take readings at regular intervals as you go about your day; usually these are only used under a doctor's supervision.
Some blood pressure monitors can even function as a clock. Essentially, you could purchase an arm blood pressure monitor that could conveniently sit on your night-stand. This grants you easy access to your blood pressure monitor while working as your timepiece and alarm clock.
Tip:
If you want your blood pressure monitor to be easily transportable, be sure to purchase one that will function with alkaline batteries and not solely with an AC adapter. This ensures that you can take your blood pressure measurement whenever and wherever it is convenient for you.
Generally, the aneroid (manually inflatable) blood pressure monitors are slightly less expensive, but for a bit more of an investment you can purchase an electronic blood pressure monitor that is easy enough for a child to use. Fully-automated blood pressure monitors simply require you to correctly attach the cuff to your arm or wrist and then hit one button. Within seconds you will be notified of your blood pressure.
There are highly specialized, but still easy to use, blood pressure monitors that can assist you in tracking and improving your blood pressure over time. Some monitors will track measurements electronically, but you also have the option of choosing a blood pressure monitor that will print out your results in an easy-to-read graph.
Some blood pressure monitors will also automatically let you know how your blood pressure compares to the norm by comparing your blood pressure to the World Health Organizations guidelines. This can easily help you to track your progress and alert you to when your blood pressure is in a healthy or an unhealthy range compared to the rest of the world.
Tip:
Wrist blood pressure monitors are portable, accurate and simple to use. They provide a convenient choice for those who want a second unit for away from home or who have trouble placing a cuff on their arm.
When you were considering your requirements in a blood pressure monitor it's likely that you singled out certain factors such as arm or wrist unit type, automatic or manual inflation/deflation, measurements given, display size and cost as being of major significance. As with so many other products, the more features offered, the higher the price.
Buyz123 has created a checklist containing examples of major features; you can work from this checklist when evaluating how well various blood pressure monitors meet your personal needs:
Features Checklist
Types
- Manual (Aneroroid)
- Automatic (Digital/Electronic)
- Ambulatory
- Arm - usually left, upper arm
- Wrist - either wrist
Arm/wrist size capacity
- Arm - 9.5 to18.2 inches
- Wrist - 5.0 to 9.0 inches
Dimensions of unit
- Length - 1.75 to 5.5 inches
- Width - 2.9 to 4.75 inches
- Height - 2.25 to 6 inches
- Weight - 4.2 oz (120 grams) to 10.5 oz (300 grams)
Inflation/Deflation
- Automatic by electric pump
- Automatic pressure release valve
- Automatic exhaust valve
- Manually driven
Measurement methods and types
- Oscillometric method - most common, sensitive to patient movements, measures the oscillations caused by the pressure of the cuff
- Auscultatory - similar to the oscillometric, but the pulse is measured manually with a stethoscope.
- Infrasound - detects lower frequency sounds than the auscultatory method
- Ultrasound - not as reliable
- Ambulatory - leave on throughout the day to monitor your blood pressure throughout a normal day
Customer Care
- 2 year warranty
- 5 year warranty
Measurements
- Measures blood pressure
- Measures pulse
- Irregular heart beat detector
Features
- 80 to 90 memory recall
- Easy-Fit cuff
- Auto-off - in 1 to 3 minutes
- Clinically proven accuracy or clinically validated by laboratories
- Fully-automatic
- 4 memory zones with 99 slots each
- 4 built-in reminder alarms
- Time/date indicators - functions as a desktop clock when not in use as a blood pressure monitor.
- Time and date noted during measurement
- Compares your blood pressure reading with the World Health Organization guidelines, with different colour light alert system
- Printer - will print out readings in numerical or bar graph form
- Comfort technology
- Verbally announces all readings - great for the visually impaired!
- 1 button operation
Power
- AA batteries or AAA batteries
- AC adapter
Accessories (sometimes included)
- Storage case
- Record log
- Paper rolls for included printer
- Users manual
Display and design
- Jumbo - easy to read
- Digital
- Flat-screen
- LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
- Upright design
There are a lot of features listed here, and some of them may not be relevant to your particular requirements. So, work your way through the list and assess how each of these features impact on your blood pressure monitor needs. You can then create a personalized checklist of the features you really require in a blood pressure monitor.
Once you have finished evaluating the blood pressure monitors available for sale in the light of your personal needs and arrived at a short-list of 'possibles' you are ready to progress to the next stage. This involves comparing the blood pressure monitors one-on-one in order to find those that really stand out.
Evaluate how well a Blood Pressure Monitor compares with competing Blood Pressure Monitors
Comparing the items on your interim short-list, one to another, is an important part of the purchasing process - we all want to buy the best product we possibly can. So once you have established a short-list of blood pressure monitors that meet your needs it is time to evaluate how well they compare in fine detail. This way you can assemble a select list of blood pressure monitors that stand out from the crowd.
Questions to ask yourself:
Which blood pressure monitor on my short-list offers the best value for money?
Which of these blood pressure monitors best meet my needs?
Which of my short-listed blood pressure monitors has the best warranty?
Which blood pressure monitor is the easiest to use?
Which of the blood pressure monitors seems of the highest quality?
Which blood pressure monitor do I like best?
By answering these simple questions, you are actually eliminating blood pressure monitors that aren't absolutely right for you. This is an excellent time - if you haven't done so already - to evaluate how well your short-listed products measure up in the following areas: Physical Quality, Warranty Conditions and Accessories & Extras.
Physical Quality
Regardless of the method you use when purchasing the blood pressure monitor, you need to find an opportunity to examine the product to evaluate how well it is made, and to check that it is truly suitable for you and your purpose. This is the time to examine the quality of the materials, and how well the blood pressure monitor is put together. Check the assembly - is the blood pressure monitor solidly constructed? It's also important to examine the blood pressure monitor from the perspective of ease of use. How easily is the blood pressure monitor prepared for cleaning and maintenance? Are the controls easy to use? Make sure the blood pressure monitor fits you physically, and that it is user-friendly - some blood pressure monitors look great on paper, but unexpected problems will show up when you finally get your hands on them.
Physical Inspection Checklist:
- Materials - quality, appearance
- Assembly - all parts held together securely, good quality fittings
- Solidly constructed - stable, no loose components
- Proper fit of removable parts - easy to remove and replace, fit snugly
- Controls - visible, easy to use, accessible, clearly labelled
- Size - appropriate for surroundings and purpose - fits user correctly
- Appearance - well finished, appropriate color, neat fittings etc
- Easy and comfortable to use
Warranty Conditions
Similar products may be available with significantly different terms and conditions, and you want to get the best deal you can. Parts and labor are often covered under separate warranties, for different time periods; sometimes there can be a significant difference in the warranty offered with one model compared to that offered with the next model up. It is particularly important to investigate any conditions that might void a warranty, such as if you use different batteries to those recommended.
Warranty Checklist:
- Duration - check the specifics
- Parts, Labour, Mechanical, Electrical
- Exactly what is covered
- Exactly what is excluded
- Conditions or actions that may void the warranty
Accessories and Extras
When evaluating similar products, it is a good idea to include accessories in your assessment. You need to be clear about exactly what accessories are necessary to run the product to its full capacity, and whether these are included with the purchase. What other extras are required - do you need record log book, for instance?
Accessories Checklist:
- Accessories - included or extra cost?
- What else will you need to fully utilize this product?
Once you've worked through the Evaluation step you will have a final short-list of blood pressure monitors that meet your needs and stand out from competing products on the market. It's time then to move on to the third and final step: Purchase.
Video Links
Buyz123.com Research Links:ReviewsTop 10 blood pressure monitorsReview of the Omron home blood pressure monitorReview of the Lifesource home blood pressure monitor