Everyone should pay attention to their healthy lives, such as heart rate and even blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends that anyone with high blood pressure (usually 130/80 mmHg or higher) should monitor their blood pressure regularly. Doing so will help your doctor confirm your diagnosis and modify your treatment plan. However, regular checks on your blood pressure at home do not replace regular doctor visits and should not prevent you from continuing prescribed medications or activities.
Managing high blood pressure is crucial because high (or low) blood pressure can lead to complications such as stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, vision loss, and other health conditions. To help you find a reliable home use monitor, we consulted a cardiologist to find the most accurate and easiest device to use.
Who should track their blood pressure?
Ideally, according to Dr. Mary Branch, a cardiologist at Cone Health in Greensboro, North Carolina, everyone should.
“Blood pressure is a good measure of health, so anyone can,” said Blanche. She added that some people may feel that blood pressure is only concerned when you are older, but it is important to establish a baseline as well as other basic health indicators (such as A1C) (a mean blood sugar measure for diabetes screening) and lipids (deep into cholesterol).
While anyone who is advised to track blood pressure regularly should do this, this is especially true for those diagnosed with high blood pressure. Other populations may face higher risks of potentially dangerous conditions involving hypertension and may benefit from more home monitoring.
Branches recommend that anyone planning to get pregnant start tracing blood pressure due to the risk of preeclampsia, a serious and potentially fatal condition involving high blood pressure during pregnancy. Similarly, branches recommend that those with high blood pressure during pregnancy should follow after delivery.
What should you pay attention to when monitoring your blood pressure at home?
Blood pressure has two numbers: systolic (the highest number, telling you the pressure your arteries are under every time your heart beats) and diastolic (the bottom number, which indicates how much pressure your arteries are dropping between beats). Only a doctor can diagnose high blood pressure or long-term high blood pressure, but monitoring at home can give you a hint that high blood pressure may be above normal levels and prompt you to contact your doctor who can help you get to the bottom or manage your heart health. (It is important to note that any blood pressure reading above 180 systolic period (highest number) or 120 diastolic blood pressure.
But monitoring your blood pressure can provide additional clues about your heart health. “Unstable” blood pressure readings, which means those significantly lower or higher mornings or nights, or even one minute to one minute, may indicate irregular heartbeats such as heart fibers, said Mustali Dohadwala, Ph.D., Medical Director of Heartsafe in Boston. Some blood pressure monitor models have irregular heartbeat detection or electrocardiogram built-in.
On the other hand, lower than normal blood pressure can also be detected through home monitoring.
This chart from the American Heart Association provides different categories of blood pressure readings and what you mean.
How we choose the best blood pressure monitor
Among a few other monitors, Withings, LifeSource and Omron are equipped with EKG models for hands-on testing in 2019. Based on factors such as consistency, brand reputation and accuracy, these models are still reliable choices today. The Omron 3 series was added last year based on cardiologists’ preference for the brand, in addition to its affordability.
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Withings BPM Connect feels popular and it provides consistent, accurate results. For the fit, comfort and ease of use of the upper arm cuff, Withings BPM Connect keeps itself in place. Once you get in, the app will also be a breeze, and it has unlimited storage for BP measurement needs (although the device can only remember eight readings between synchronizations). You can also set up multiple user profiles in the Withings Health Mate App, which is a plus sign if you have multiple people in multiple families who want to track their blood pressure.
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The OMRON full wireless upper arm blood pressure monitor with electrocardiogram is the first FDA-approved combined EKG blood pressure device in the United States. Omron has produced the product in partnership with Alivecor, which powers many FDA-approved consumer electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) devices.
It is worth mentioning that this blood pressure monitor provides the most consistent reading throughout the test. It measures more than just blood pressure. In addition to the essentials (systolic and diastolic blood pressure), this OMRON model measures your pulse, atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, bradycardia and sinus rhythm simultaneously.
If you need a seamless way to measure two or more metrics, this upper arm monitor is the best choice. The Omron App interface is simple and can store unlimited data. The cuffs are comfortable and flexible, making them easy to match, which helps to be accurate.
The monitor itself is a little bigger than the other models, but it may be worth it for anyone who needs all other measurements. It has a nice carry case that you can use for travel.
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If you have a larger upper arm, you will know that not all arm monitors can fit comfortably, allowing blood pressure to manage and monitor huge pain. Enter the LifeSource upper arm blood pressure monitor with an oversized cuff; this blood pressure cuff can accommodate more than 23 inches of arm circumference.
There doesn't seem to be a lot of information about this on the Internet, but LifeSource is a brand of A&D Medical, a medical device brand that has been manufactured on home consumer devices for nearly 50 years. Although tested on smaller arms in 2019, it did produce consistent readings. Although the blood pressure level readings in our tests are wrong, they are always wrong. This makes one hope that this oversized cuff is indeed accurate for the person who actually fits.
It has memory capable of storing 60 readings, which is consistent with many blood pressure monitors in this price range and is better than some of the cheaper models.
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The Omron 3 series is one of the most affordable blood pressure monitors out there, and importantly, you can also feel confident that you can also verify it clinically.
Among the cardiologists we talk to, Omron seems to be his favorite brand too. Dr. Trent Orfanos, Director of Integrated and Functional Cardiology at Case Integrative Health, said he advised Omron as a brand that brands patients should consider when purchasing home blood pressure monitors. He said he doesn't usually “spelling models”, but he likes the Omron brand because it lists many clinically validated models on ValidateBP.org.
The Omron 3 series seems to be older and more affordable than the company's other sphygmomanometers. The 3 Series can store up to 14 blood pressure readings that you can transfer to the Omron Connect app. Users who want to share a blood pressure monitor with another family member, or users who need more memory will be more suitable for another Omron model.
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Currently, the American Heart Association does not recommend the use of finger or wrist blood pressure monitors. All three doctors we spoke with said people should avoid buying blood pressure monitors measured by wrists.
“The wrist cuffs are often inaccurate,” Orfanos said, adding: “They tend to exaggerate blood pressure.” This means the reading may be higher than it actually is.
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- Arm size: A sleeve that fits the cuffs, which may not be the best for smaller arms for larger arms and vice versa. Before purchasing a cuff and monitoring it, measure the circumference of the arm to make sure it suits your needs.
- Other heart conditions: Some devices may provide other health indicators, such as pulse rate or detect other health conditions, such as irregular heartbeat.
- Clinical verification: This means that the device has completed testing that meets medical standards. The easiest way to check a blood pressure monitor is clinically validated, looking for one on ValidateBP.org.
- Take it to your doctor's office for testing: If you have high blood pressure and want to maintain your blood pressure at home, it's a good idea to bring your blood pressure monitor to your doctor's office so you can take measurements against their cuffs and make sure the readings are aligned and measured properly.
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The American Heart Association has some tips to keep you in mind before and during reading your blood pressure. To get the most accurate results, you should:
- Avoid caffeine, smoking or exercise Within 30 minutes of receiving blood pressure
- Empty the bladder and rest for 5 minutes Before reading
- Sit properly on the floor with your feet flat Your back is straight and supported, with your arms resting on a flat surface
- Make sure you don't measure your clothes, Including shirt
- Don't talk or have conversations When receiving blood pressure
- Fixed cuffs Directly above the curve of the elbow and check the display's specific instructions
- Measuring simultaneously every day
- Read twice a day. About 1 minute apart
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High blood pressure is called a “silent killer” because you usually have no obvious signs.
According to the American Heart Association, certain symptoms are not related to high blood pressure, e.g. Dizzy eyes, facial rinsing and blood spots. This means they may occur in people with high blood pressure, but not necessarily caused by blood pressure.
If your blood pressure is high (usually 180/120 or higher), you may experience symptoms according to the World Health Organization and you should consider this a medical emergency. Ask for help and get medical care immediately.
According to the World Health Organization, symptoms of emergency blood pressure may include:
- Severe headache
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Difficulty in breathing
- nausea
- Vomit
- Blur or other vision changes
- anxiety
- Puzzled
- Ears buzzing
- Nose bleeding
- Abnormal heart rhythm
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