Did you know a faulty blood pressure monitor increases heart attack risk by 40%? Learn how to ensure your blood pressure monitor is accurate here.
Quick Summary
- Managing your blood pressure is essential for good health, and having an accurate blood pressure monitor is crucial.
- There are various factors that can impact the accuracy of readings, including incorrect cuff size, user error, device error, environmental factors, age and health conditions, and movement during the reading.
- To ensure accuracy, it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, use the correct cuff size, avoid environmental factors and movement, and periodically calibrate the device.
Managing your blood pressure is crucial for maintaining good health, and having an accurate blood pressure monitor is a key component of that.
Incorrect cuff size, user error, device error, environmental factors, age and health conditions, and movement can all impact the accuracy of readings.
Using a faulty blood pressure monitor can increase the risk of inaccurate readings, and research suggests that this factor alone accounts for a reported 40% increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
In this article, we explore how to determine if your blood pressure monitor is accurate and the factors that can affect its accuracy.
Also, we have a few recommendations for accurate blood pressure monitors certified by clinicians. Without further ado, let us get into the crux of this article.
How Do I Know If My Blood Pressure Monitor Is Accurate?
Knowing how to use a blood pressure monitor is important for managing your overall health.
One way to ensure accuracy is to calibrate your device periodically, either by a trained healthcare professional or the manufacturer.
You can also check your device’s accuracy by comparing its readings to those obtained by a healthcare professional during an office visit.
It’s important to use the correct cuff size and follow the manufacturer’s instructions, as improper use can lead to inaccurate readings.
Regularly checking your device’s batteries and avoiding damage to the device can also help ensure accurate readings. It is a good idea to understand the working of your blood pressure to rectify a fault in advance.
What Are The Factors That Affect the Accuracy of Monitors?
Here are the factors that can affect the accuracy of blood pressure monitors:
- Incorrect cuff size: Using a cuff that is too small or too large for your arm can lead to inaccurate readings.
- User error: Improper placement of the cuff or not following the instructions provided by the manufacturer can result in unreliable readings.
- Device error: Faulty or malfunctioning devices can also result in inaccurate readings.
- Environmental factors: Noisy or high-stress environments can cause temporary spikes in blood pressure, leading to inaccurate readings.
- Age and health conditions: Age and certain health conditions, such as arrhythmia or atrial fibrillation, can also impact the accuracy of readings.
- Movement: Movement during the reading can result in inaccurate measurements.
Blood Pressure Monitors That Check Above Requirements
CheckMe BP2, and QardioArm are highly recommended blood pressure monitors due to their accuracy and convenient features.
CheckMe BP2
The CheckMe BP2 is a compact and portable device that can be carried in a pocket or purse. It is easy to use, with one-touch operation and a large, easy-to-read display. The device also stores up to 50 readings, allowing users to track their blood pressure over the app.
Qardioarm
The QardioArm is a sleek, stylish device that connects to a smartphone app for easy tracking and analysis. The QardioArm is also FDA-approved and has received accolades from the American Heart Association.
These two devices offer accurate readings and stylish designs, making them a great choice for tracking blood pressure.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, regular monitoring of blood pressure can help individuals with hypertension or other cardiovascular conditions manage their health more effectively by tracking changes in their blood pressure over time
To ensure accuracy, it’s important to use the correct cuff size, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and avoid environmental factors and movement during the reading.
Periodically calibrating the device and comparing its readings to those obtained by a healthcare professional can also help ensure accuracy.
You can always do a double-blind test with two different devices to ensure the readings are accurate.
Robin Backlund is a dedicated journalist and a medical student who has written several articles and essays exposing the falseness and hollowness of online resources in the medical science niche.