Tips for Purchasing a Blood Pressure Monitor
The American Heart Association recommends a cuff-style, automatic, upper arm (bicep) monitor.
The AHA dose not recommend wrist and finger monitors because their results are not as reliable as the upper arm monitors.
Be sure the monitor has been tested and approved by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, the British Hypertension Society, and the International Protocol for the Validation of Automated BP Measuring Devices.
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If the monitor will be used on a child, or for someone who is elderly or pregnant, make sure the monitor is validated/approved for these conditions.
People with smaller or larger sized arms may need a special cuff size. Measure around the upper arm and select a monitor that comes with the correct cuff size.
Check your monitor’s reading with your healthcare provider’s reading when the device is new and once a year after that.