Hi. I posted on British Heart Foundation about purchasing a new BPM as mine is 10 years old and keeps on giving error messages. I see some BPM also give potential AFIB readings. Just wondering if I really need this function as I am persistent afib anyway!! I suspect it is perhaps for those with paroxysmal afib.
I have not decided on what BPM to buy although I am leaning towards Omron. The trouble with me is I do research and find maybe the M2 (£37-40) at the lower end is what I want. Then I think maybe the M3 for a few pounds more. I am now at the M7 Intelli IT at around £95!!!! I am always the same, next model will do this and one model after that is even better. In the end I buy something that is way over budget and has features that I do not want. Like is am a 73 year old male and the M7 does Diabetic Validation, Pregnancy Validation. Come on now if I am pregnant surely that will be a first, or maybe not.
On a more serious note I have to write all my appointments down. Next Friday (12th) I have doc face to face with doc to check up on how I am getting on with new Diltiazem capsules. In the afternoon I got 1st covid jab. Just heard this morning I have appointment with cardiologist to have a mobile ecg monitor fitted for 24 hours. Then at beginning of April back for another blood test for iron deficiency, it is all go.
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dindy
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This should link to the British and Irish Hypertension Society website. Once there, you can see a list of monitors validated or approved by the BHS. Also a list of those that are not recommended.
There don’t seem to be monitors validated for use during AFib. A monitor which can automatically take an average of 3 readings presumably improves accuracy.
Some say it’s good when life’s not boring!! As far a monitors are concerned, Omron does seem to be the preferred option, I think mainly due the fact that’s what most surgeries and clinics use. As far as models, obviously that’s down to the individual. Just a thought, if you are having a 24 hr monitor then it may be that you could be offered treatment to get you back into rhythm. If that happens, a model which detects an irregular heartbeat might be useful in the future.
One negative thing to bear in mind that as far as I know, most home monitors are not accurate for anyone in AF. It’s recommended to take the average of four readings over a period of at least 30 mins which is a bit of a faff!
I have an Omron M3.......
Omron are recommended by my GP surgery and used by them with patients. I have found them to be very reliable and accurate.
Thanks to being one of their reviewers, I have been lucky to have been able to try quite a range of sphygmomanometers over recent years for a well-known internet retailer.
I have never found one that doesn't work well, but the Braun "iCheck7 " wrist BPM - in every way a very attractive modern model to own and use - was the most inconsistent for me but this was thanks to my larger-than-average wrists. Despite that, however, the Omron wrist models worked uniformly well for me and proved to be consistently accurate, as well as small and easy to store and use. The pricier ones have an app for your phone, which you might enjoy using, but unless you need to keep a log say for a diabetes nurse, is likely to become disused over time.
The Withings "Core" is an upper arm model but also very good and very "modern"; it's very pricey though and I struggled with its extra feature of monitoring heart sounds; its ECG function worked well, however. Their cheaper "Connect", however, is, in every way, very good and simple to use and, like the "Core" has a really excellent smartphone "health" app.
Perhaps my favourite - again with a good health app - is the Omron "Evolv", but, again it is pricey and rather bulky. It is very easy to use.
Out of interest, the "Which" consumer magazine recommended the cheapest £20.00 Boots model as being the most accurate, but this uses a hand inflated cuff which makes it a bit less convenient and bulkier (but there's not much in it, really!).
Overall, I think I'd recommend you to try a wrist model since they take up such little space in a drawer. One with an app is also worth trying. I see Amazon Warehouse often have the Braun iCheck returns at very good prices now and again. I can recommend buying that way as Amazon offer a no-nonsense returns policy which seems to me to be the equal of the 12-month manufacturer's guarantee.
I was told that wrist monitors are not as accurate as the upper arm monitors by a nurse at my GP surgery, although the technology has improved recently.
I have heard that, too, and perhaps it was so in the past but I suspect more because of design and the way they were perhaps poorly fitted. Doctors’ surgeries tend not to worry about convenience and size. I have managed to test several and all of them have matched the upper arm models (except for the Braun, as I mentioned, but I think that was just my large wrists. It is a lovely design).
The new designs seem to ensure a perfect fit and give consistently accurate readings. They certainly have the advantage of being much more conveniently sized, are inconspicuous and very easy to use.
Hello DindyI've used an Omron M2 for 4 years and just replaced it with the same model; it's cheaper to replace than send off for recalibration. I find this monitor well made and easy and comfortable to use: the cuff comes on and off easily.
I also purchased a second BP monitor that I keep by the bed. It was the basic one from the BHF online shop, by A&D Medical. The two give quite different readings, the latter tends to under-read.
My GP said that because these devices are not medical grade, one should use them to monitor trend rather than spot readings.
I am not too worried about having a app to record my data like Omron Connect for example. I have for the past almost 3 years religiously recorded my data when exercising 3 times a week in Word on the computer. Date,How long was the exercise,min/max snail jog speed,min/max bpm,how far (normally 2 miles,calories used, cadence & a little note of how I felt. Maybe a bit over the top but I have found it useful several times to look at bpm and I can almost pinpoint where my bpm started to go high on a regular basis.
So far only been asked by doctor to recored my blood pressure but you never know what the future may bring. I did read that having data recorded on an app would be useful for the doctor to look at so perhaps something to consider.
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