How to choose a tonometer for home use?

The tonometer is today the most convenient and indispensable assistant for measuring pressure.

This device should be in every home where there are people with hypertensive problems. But even if such diseases were not noticed, it will obviously not be superfluous in your house. Which tonometer is better to choose: mechanical or carpal, fully automatic or semi-automatic, we will consider below.

It is not difficult to buy a device and learn how to use it; it is important to make it a rule to regularly measure pressure and monitor indicators. But how to choose a tonometer for home use, so that it is convenient and lasts a long time? We will deal with this now.

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What is pressure?

Before choosing a tonometer for home use, you need to find out what blood pressure is.

Blood pressure is one of the most important indicators of the body’s vital activity. This is the force with which blood acts on the vessels through which it flows. There is capillary, arterial, venous pressure and others.

Important! Blood pressure indicates how much blood the heart pumps over a certain period of time, as well as the resistance that blood vessels have:

• Upper pressure - means the force with which the heart expels blood into the body.
• Lower pressure is the force with which the vessels resist the blood flow.

Tonometers help determine the upper and lower boundaries of blood pressure.

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Who needs a tonometer?

If you want to monitor the pressure indicators at home, the tonometer becomes a necessary device. At home, the device allows you to:

• to avoid jumps of indicators unjustified by the disease, for example, from the excitement of meeting a doctor;
• monitor the effect of medications prescribed for pressure problems;
• to study the performance of athletes and people leading a healthy lifestyle.

Important! You can purchase the device in pharmacies, specialized stores of medical equipment and other points of sale. It is important for everyone who has acquired a tonometer not only to study its effect and functions, but also to make it a rule to use it regularly.

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Criterias of choice

For home use, the following options are important if you are puzzled how to choose a tonometer:

• type of device;
• cuff size;
• display convenience;
• accuracy of readings.

Before choosing a tonometer, you should pay attention to the size of its cuff.

Important! Often, pressure surges are provoked by metabolic disorders in the body, the result of which is overweight. In this case, for complete weight control, it also makes sense to think about buying scales for home use. Check out the link on our portal with rated best floor scales.

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Cuff

This is an important part of any blood pressure monitor. If you select the wrong size, the device will not be able to provide reliable data. In order to understand which cuff is right for you, just measure the circumference of your forearm.

Cuffs are presented in three sizes:

• S - small cuffs, circumference - 19-22 cm;
• M - average size, circumference - 21-31 cm;
• L - large cuffs, circumference - 32-45 cm.

Important! This is an approximate size range, and it may vary depending on the brand of the device.

Most often, you can find tonometers with an average cuff size. If this is not your option, then most manufacturers produce separate cuffs that are different from the standard sizes, which can be ordered separately or, if available, purchased immediately.

Important! The material on the outside of the cuff is nylon coated, and its Velcro fastener. The inner part is made of medical rubber and when filling the cuff with air - this material squeezes the hand and creates the necessary conditions for measuring pressure.

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Device selection - types of tonometer

Today, manufacturers present an extensive range of devices, including:

• Mechanical - the cuff is worn on the forearm, and the air is pumped by hand using a pear.
• Semiautomatic devices - combine the functions of mechanics and automatic machine.
• Automatic models - they themselves pump air and measure the pulse. When used correctly, they give more accurate results than their predecessors.

Important! The very first tonometer was mechanical, and was presented to the public in 1905 by the famous researcher and military doctor Nikolai Korotkov.

It is much more convenient to choose a tonometer for home use of an automatic or semi-automatic type.

Important! The device with the electronic version will help to measure not only the pressure, but also the pulse, as well as some other indicators of the body.

Pros and cons of automation

The main advantage of the automatic option is the ease of use. Such a device itself will pump air into the cuff, it will determine blood pressure. It’s really convenient: you don’t need to listen to anything and recognize signals, or even pump up air - electronics will do everything for you.

Along with this great advantage, such models have significant disadvantages. They must be taken into account before choosing a tonometer:

• the price of such tonometers is an order of magnitude higher than that of semiautomatic devices of the same brand;
• low accuracy of devices that are mounted on the wrists and fingers;
• fragility.

Important! The simpler the tonometer design, the longer it will last. In this regard, the electric option loses to mechanics and semiautomatic devices. The device is powered by a small battery, but it spends a lot of energy in order to fill the cuff with air. That is why the electric motors of such devices are more likely than others to wear. In this regard, automation is still losing to semi-automatic models in terms of price-quality ratio.

Semiautomatic devices

The only difference between these devices from automatic machines is that a person pumps air into the cuff independently. The rest is done by electronics: it determines the pulse, pressure, other parameters and displays them on the device’s display.

Among the advantages of such tonometers are:

• high accuracy of device readings using a cuff fixed to the forearm;
• the most acceptable combination of price and quality of the device;
• greater practicality compared to automatic models.

Important! If the automation has enough intuitive controls, then to use a semi-automatic device you will have to work hard and study the operating instructions. But usually the devices are made as convenient as possible for use, so studying the instructions should not be difficult.

Mechanical option

Such tonometers are more suitable for professionals, since they require certain skills to work with them. The air pressure in the cuff of the mechanics is created manually, using a special pear to certain values, which you must monitor yourself. And with the help of a stethoscope they listen to the pulse, on the bend of the elbow, while slowly letting air out of the cuff.

The principle of working with a mechanical tonometer is that the measuring person needs to hear certain noises by which it is possible to determine the exact pressure.

To work with the device, it is necessary to acquire listening skills and the proper inflation and descent of air. Otherwise, the testimony obtained may not correspond to reality. Therefore, most often such a device is used by employees of medical institutions.

If you consider all the factors, then it will not be difficult for you to choose the type of such an important device as a tonometer. Which is better, how to choose and where to buy in a variety of brands and brands of manufacturers - this is the next question that is important to understand.

Important! Remember that all measures for diagnosing blood pressure and taking medications to stabilize it will be futile if you do not establish a proper and complete diet. Read about What foods have the most vitamins?.

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Popular manufacturers and models

Of course, everyone makes their own decision on which tonometer to choose.

According to professionals:

1. For home use, a semiautomatic model, with a cuff fastening on the forearm, will be a good option in terms of price and quality.
2. If the means allow, you can purchase a high-quality automatic tonometer with good batteries.

Consider the most popular brands and models of devices that allow you to measure blood pressure at home:

Omron

This is a Japanese brand creating high-quality industrial electronics. The main direction of the company is the creation of electronics to optimize production processes. The brand not only produces, but also develops new devices based on its own research.

Important! The results of some studies have turned into advanced developments, the technologies of which are patented today. For example, a company has created a technology that makes it possible to protect money from counterfeiting. The technology is already being used by more than one bank in the world and is called the Omron Rings.

The production of blood pressure measuring devices is not the main business of the company, but a large amount of time has been devoted to it and research.

Important! The most popular model of this brand was the OMRON M6 tonometer - with high accuracy of readings and a function to detect arrhythmia. The cost of tonometers under the Omron brand is usually higher than competitive models with similar characteristics.

Microlife

The company is originally from Switzerland and is engaged in the production of medical equipment and equipment for the home and special institutions.

Unlike the previous brand, the production of pressure measuring devices is the main activity of the organization. Under its brand, the company also produces heaters, inhalers, electronic thermometers and other medical equipment.

Important! A distinctive feature of the organization is that mercury-free thermometers were first mass-sold under its brand.

The flagship of this brand is the Microlife BP 3AC1-1 device - this is a high-quality and convenient home-use equipment that, thanks to modern technologies, allows you to determine the necessary medical indicators with high accuracy. It is distinguished by practicality and durability, and the cost of tonometers of this brand is lower than its Japanese competitor.

Important! There are situations when pressure problems arose suddenly and there were no medicines at hand. To ease your condition, leave yourself our selection of tips how to stabilize pressure folk remedies.

A&D Medical

Quality tonometers for home use have also brought popularity to this company. The head office of the organization is in the USA. Due to its high quality, the brand has repeatedly won high awards for the development and creation of medical electrical appliances for the home.

In addition to tonometers, the company's products include scales, electrothermometers, stethoscopes and other medical electronics for home and professional use.

Brand tonometers gained popularity in 1977. The company's pride is its development - oscillometry, thanks to which it has become a pioneer in the field of electronic technology that allows you to measure blood pressure.

Important! The popular A&D UA-777 model - it is noted for a relatively low price, high quality indicators, and convenient functionality.

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How to get?

The simplest options for acquiring home pressure monitoring equipment are a pharmacy and online stores:

1. The pharmacy does not have a very large selection of devices, but you can see them live.
2. You can always find many options on the Internet, but you will have to study the operation of the tonometer after its acquisition. But the price of the device from the online store can be significantly lower than a similar tonometer when buying it in a pharmacy.

It is important to take into account the fact that online stores often take payment for the delivery of goods, so it is impossible to say unequivocally where it is more profitable to choose a tonometer. It is imperative to compare all conditions.

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General recommendations

When choosing a device for measuring blood pressure, you should ask yourself a few questions, the answers to which will help you choose the most suitable option.

Main questions:

1. How often the device will be used - if you need to use a tonometer daily, it is better to give preference to the automatic version.
2. How old is the patient - for the youth, an option for the carpal cuff is possible, the older generation is recommended to choose a tonometer with a cuff on the forearm.
3. Does the patient have diseases of the cardiovascular system - in the presence of such diseases, it is better to choose a device that can indicate the presence of arrhythmia.
4. What should be the price - mechanical blood pressure monitors are more accurate and budget, but require certain skills to use. Semiautomatic machines are more expensive, but much easier to operate, automatic models are the most expensive option for today.

It is important not to forget about additional features that include most modern models:

• arrhythmia indicator;
• average pressure calculation;
• measurement quality control;
• the ability to save data;
• timer;
• the calendar;
• manufacturer warranty;
• service maintenance.

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Stock footage

Someone uses the device according to the doctor’s testimony, someone for self-diagnosis. In any case, it is important to take into account all the nuances, and only after that make the right choice.