Just wondered what would be the best blood pressure monitor to get to keep an accurate record of my blood pressure I've been told its normal but I just want to monitor it at home incase of any issues with my blood pressure
Sometimes feel dizzy from standing up sometimes I think it's from standing up too quick sometimes it's just from standing up altogether 😆.
Anyway i found one on amazon but I have a feeling I'm gona have to spend alot of money on it anyone have one they didn't spend an arm and leg on 😅.
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Yumz199725
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I bought my blood pressure machine in Boots the Chemist and its been very accurate, they have a good selection. Mine found the right size inflatable arm band I needed to go with mine too.
I was told by my rehab nurse as I enquired with her which was the most accurate one for readings and she said not ro bother let the professionals do the readings.
oh wow ok only issue with that I get a reading of it once a year so I just want to keep upto date with it make sure it's in the Normal range well normal for me 😅😉
White coat syndrome and they take a reading as soon as you walk through the door. It needs to be taken after sitting quietly for 5 minutes in a warm room.
It always amazes and to be honest annoys me when nurses take blood pressure without allowing any time to relax as soon as you walk through the door or after a stressful question and answer session. Your blood pressure is high they say! What do they expect?
I was asked to monitor znd record my BP over the course if a week at home. My GP didn't even ask if I had a machine at home. She seemed to just assume, as most people do have one these days.A friend's surgery suggested to just go to a store which has one of those sleeve things you stick your arm in to take your BP. I can't actually think of anything worse.
WHAT! Their machines are SI over used and they need to be re-calibrated which they won’t and so t get new ones! My GP thought mine fabulous and was impressed.
Sorry I do not agree with your comment as I have anumber of medical problems and all my Doctors.Nurses.Consultants etc quite often request that I monitor my blood pressure and saturations along with Peak Flow[ This is for Asthmatics] Glucose Levels, all of which I can download via my computers and print off the required data at any time even via my phone , and this gives the medics a much better diagnosis with my problems. Insidentaly it also helps me in my daily life and should I require an ambulance it is helpful for paramedics and particularly A&E who are very quick to send you home and say that there is nothing wrong and send you home when you know when there is something wrong.
That is extremely bad advice from your nurse. You are far better taking control of your own health and particularly something like blood pressure where an annual check up will give a very poor guide as to what is happening day to day. Omron are good. I also have an Aktiia wearable 24hr monitor which is not as accurate as an Omron cuff but gives a good guide to 24hr bp (though a bit pricey - £200).
I've had it for ages and have dropped it loads of times with no problems, think it was about £30.00, but I noticed the other day that they had one that could tell if you were in AF. I'd like that one now, it didn't cost much more than mine from what I can remember.
I personaly do not trust this techknowledgy as a ECG uses mobitor leads up to 12 sometimes and how can two of your fingers detect this problem. I suffer with this problem and my body tells me that something is wrong and I need to seek medical advise dial 111 if you cannot get in touch with your GP
I can assure you the Kardia gadget that I have has only one lead definitely can detect irregularities. My Consultant was amazed and bought one for hi FiL and advocates them for his patients.
My Omron Bp machine takes 3 successive readings and that does also show AF. Better machine than the drs cheap unserviced machines.
That is very interesting as all the consultants that I have spoken to have said they are not very acurate. But I will now consider purchasing one to go along with my other toys [that is what my wife says "Another Gadje/Toy"} If it helps me and the medics I will go fotr it.
Apart from the obvious home cuff systems that everyone has referred to already, i bought myself a next generation blood pressure monitoring system from Aktiia: aktiia.com/uk/
I have used it on and off for over 9 months and if you can afford it i think it’s worth getting as a 24/7 approach.
It generates a lot of daily/weekly/monthly blood pressure data and all you need to do is wear a wrist band.
It involves a cuff reading to calibrate and recalibrate the system every month and has been validated clinically as an accurate system.
To clarify, I don’t have sny connection or interest in the company, I’m just a customer.
True don’t become a slave to a BP Mon. After the novelty wore off I used one infrequently. Max 1x per week unless I get a day or two of high readings. Then a GP appt. My first post on this should have read Boots have..
I used to measure every day, spreadsheet them and send off an analysis and after 18 months the Doc gradually reduced my meds. My BP soared a month ago and I discovered that the move from 128/75 to 148/70 didn't even cause him to blink! He said he'd need to see around 170 systolic on a permanent basis to worry about it!
So now I don't check it that much like you maybe once a week. BP varies all the time so I just record the latest reading. I must have really been laid back today when it read 124/75!
Good morning, as a little background I have a Heart Disorder, am Pacemaker dependent and am waiting for a new heart. You question caught my eye and I would respond by saying that most of the ones being sold a good.However, if the doctor is saying its normal why would you want to buy one ? Before you think I'm sounding negative I would like to tell you that I was advised by the doctor to buy one and I did, I got completely hooked to the thing ........as soon as I had a little dizzy spell I would reach for the monitor, as soon as I felt flutter I would reach for the monitor. It started to make me feel totally insecure and made my anxiety even worse.
Keeping hydrated was one of the worst things I dident do, so I always keep a bottle of water near or with me and make sure I drink plenty of fluids and without a doubt it works.
I am not saying dont buy a monitor but try and look at the underlying course, as it can increase anxiety which will effect your blood pressure. I am only saying this as I have been and still sometimes still do keep reaching for the monitor.
Remember keep hydrated and I thinking of you to make the right decision.
Thank you your right I'm a very anxious person anyway one of the reasons I had to stop wearing my fit bit was making me so anxious about my heart rate but now I know I'm broad complex tachycardic so probably was correct readings. I will buy one but I won't be constantly checking it how often would you suggest checking it just so I don't over do it?
I think the advice is that once a week is about right. Some take it daily but, as a non expert, I’d reckon more than once a day will be counterproductive.
Hello, I have been a St.Johns volunteer vaccinator since 2020 and have worked in quite a few surgeries. Omron machines are quite common I take that as a good recommendation.
I use a Microlite Home machine, which checks for AF and does three readings in a row 15secs apart and gives you the average of the three. I have just been asked to monitor my BP for a week. The info says if my own machine is more than 3 yrs old it needs changing!
Lots of useful information in this thread so thanks for asking the question. I hadn't heard about Blood Pressure UK and it's resources are worth checking
I use a basic Omron which I use to monitor the blood pressure daily.
One thing my heart nurse discussed some time ago was using an oximeter to measure pulse?
Does anyone use these and is there any information out there on how to assess the readings?
Hi Frimley, I took an oxometer with me on a journey recently for if needed and for reassurance. But there's a lot of cheap models out there and the battery cage broke. Now have a good one from Boots and the readings seem to correspond OK with those given by my BP/HR monitor.
I have a Microlife Home A which also picks up atrial-fibrillation when it's present. Apparently if you have AF it gives a more accurate reading. But it costs a bit more (£90) and required some justification to myself and closing my eyes and pretending I could afford it. It was recommended by a BHF nurse and bought through their online shop. Impressed my GP anyway!
Hello there. The Nurse at my surgery suggested I buy a blood pressure monitor so I bought one from my local chemist. It cost £20 - it is called Betterlife. It is also very accurate as I brought it along to the surgery when I had an appointment and the Doctor was very obliging so we compared my one against his and he was more than happy with the results. You don't have to spend a fortune - it also measures your heart rate at the same time. Would recommend this one.
I have the OMRON X4 Smart works perfectly and using the Omron connect app automatically logs your readings and displays them on your phone. Has many other functions plus help and useful info. It is really very good.
I monitor my BP weekly - every Sunday, just before going to bed. If you develop a routine like this you can accumulate useful background information that you or your medical practitioner can use in assessing your condition. By measuring this way, you are minimising the variables that can affect BP. Good practice, I believe.
I bought myself a 24/7 bracelet BP it’s call Aktiia. I have never looked back, once a month I send my reading to my doctor. You have an App on your phone and you can see when you pressure go up. As I when I go the the doctor I still have my reading done. Read the review on their website
I was told by my GP the equipment was old and he was resigned to it. If you'd got a lot of time I can give you my history of my experiences. I'm currently preparing for an inquest of my brothers death in hospital by negligence. There are many lovely medical practitioners let down by many others. Yesterday I went for an ECG at my surgery, the machine refused to work.
They do not get them recalibrated because its cheaper to buy a new one, I know this as I enquired for my own machine. They just do not go out and buy new ones - no money.
I guess more BP data means a more accurate picture is built up of when your blood pressure changes and the range of your BP readings over a defined time period. Having your BP unobtrusively measured 12 times over a 24 hour period (or 84 times over a week) obviously builds up a richer dataset than once a day or once a week. You don’t have to look at it, the data is collected unobtrusively on the companion app.
Not obsessed at all actually, i don’t look at the data that frequently, but at least I know it’s there and being collected regularly and available for review by a health professional or myself when/if required. The device is non obtrusive so you check in on the data whenever you want to, whether that’s once a week or once a month.
Hard to follow your logic though; if, as you say, your BP changes a lot in a given time then isn’t that precisely the argument for longer term, more frequent BP data collection to capture those changes versus a single standalone BP reading?
As for a wrist mounted device not being clinically accurate it doesn’t sound like you’ve done any research; I’d recommend you properly review the material published on aktiia which suggests otherwise.
I wasn’t referring to their marketing material, i was referring to the peer reviewed papers published in respected scientific journals on the accuracy of the device. Sounds like you’ve made up your mind without doing any homework of your own which is unfortunate. I don’t care to disentangle the other items you’ve conflated in your response. More data equals more context equals more knowledge. Please don’t feel the need to keep responding at this point.
a paramedic misread the ecg he did for me last year! My Consultant said so 🤷🏼♀️
See my post above getting a surgery ecg - wasn’t reading and she didn’t know why.
Don’t rubbish what you don’t have experience of. My Consultant cardiologist lives them for what they are, AND he said I don’t need to upgrade to the 6 lead Kardia
I had my post deleted without any explanation, just told it no longer exists. I'm annoyed because I spent ages writing it. Won't make the same mistake again.
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