Howdy folks - I used to take my BP monthly with a manual BP cuff and monitor. Since going into permanent controlled AFib I find it almost impossible to get an accurate reading using this method. On reading up on this I understand that most BP monitors are "fooled" by AFib and will give inaccurate readings. Can anyone recommend a BP monitor that can cope with AFib and give a reliable reading?
TIA,
Kenny
Never used it, but I have heard the Omron Complete is designed to take bp when in afib. Just make sure you can return it if it doesn't work. It also takes ekg's but I'm sure the Kardia does a better job there. I use the Omron Evolve with seems to work but have nothing to compare it to.
Hi Kennyb, I’ve been in AF continually for over a week now and have found my Microlife Home S Watch bp monitor works very well regardless. I believe it is designed to deal with folk in AF. Hope that helps.
We also use the Microlife BP Monitor. It takes multiple readings (normally 3) but can take an extra one if it feels the AF has skewed one of the readings and then gives you an average. It's expensive at over £100 but we've been using it for over 4 years and is reliable.
I see it's only £58-50 with a Google code at the BHF Gift shop. Looks a good buy.
This one works in AF or out..boots.com/omron-m6-comfort-...
I have an older version of the M6. It has an arrhythia indicator rather than an AF indicator. However I am pretty sure the blood pressure results were not accurate when in AFib they were all over the place!
Besides saying it can tell you are in AFib does it say the BP results displayed are accurate in AFib ??
TBF, when I was in AFib in hospital their machines did not work either. On one occassion the nurse tried 3 machines on me as the BP readings were so strange.
There is an excellent study on this but I've lost the link, I'm afraid; but the conclusion was that there is no accurate way to measure BP while the heart is in AF except by using a traditional manual sphygmomanometer used with a cuff and stethoscope.
That said, an elderly friend is in permanent AF, and his always reads seemingly accurately, although low using his automatic wrist Omron device - but he says has always had low BP, so he believes it to be accurate.
Steve
I don't believe Afib needs to be permanent. Side effects from drugs, low magnesium and potassium are usually the cause.
It’s generally said to be a slowly developing condition from occasional to permanent in nature. I’ve not seen any statistics, though.
I can’t imagine - with the high prevalence of AF - that most of those people are suffering a deficiency of magnesium and potassium. There would be a cause of that, too, such as kidney issues or diuretic usage.
Steve
Yes just did my cardiac rehab and they only used a traditional manual sphygmomanometer used with a cuff and stethoscope. As couldn’t get a accurate BP reading due to irregular rhythm.
High doses of magnesium may help you. Potassium foods also may help.
I had Afib for a few months which was really annoying. I discovered that eating foods containing potassium and magnesium really helped.
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