Review of blood pressure monitors

I was not happy with your review of blood pressure monitors.
You recommended 3 units and one of thes was a wrist monitor. In another part of your review you stated that you didn’t recommend wrist monitors, very confusing.
Also I had to search too find one that was capable of recording 2 separate users. I would have thought that with the ageing population a model that could do that is important.
I miss the x/y graphs that you used to do.
Thanks
Ray B

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There does seem to be a discrepancy between wording here:

and the review here:

and when 2 of the 7 recommended by Choice are wrist blood monitors.

I hope @airedale is able to clarify the discrepancy.

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I’m unable to help with the multi use request, but I have a Omron hem-7600t and have been mostly happy with it. Sometimes the Bluetooth connection wouldn’t work first go but would later transfer readings to the app. I thought it missed them as I don’t check the app after each reading, only once a week and they were all there. The app was great for showing readings and trends to my GP.

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Does the App enable two or more users of the one machine to keep their readings independently?

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No, although you could have the app on different devices the monitor unit has no way of knowing who the reading belongs to. Once the data has been sent it is cleared from the monitor. So you could take one reading for user A wait until the app has registered the reading turn off Bluetooth on user A device and the take another reading and have user B turn on their Bluetooth. Workable but not very practical at all.

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Gotta comment here: my cardiologist has no issues with the readings from my wrist monitors at all. I have the Omron HEM6232T which scored well. I had not seen the reviews, so pleased because often I buy and later find the item scored badly :slight_smile: But anyway, Cardio guy was previously happy witth the iHealth wrist monitor I was using (not now, battery not replaceable) so I imagine he will be content with the Omron readings also.

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A while back got a $30 Jamr CIGII arm blood pressure monitor through Aliexpress. I tested against the doctors monitor found it was with 10% over three tests on each good enough given how variable blood pressure can be.

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I’m with you, @SueW. My experience of wrist monitors is that they can be just as accurate as the upper-arm type. An Omron IW1 that I bought at least 15 years ago has always been consistent with the upper-arm BP monitors (including old-style sphygmomanometers) at the GP’s and cardiologist’s surgeries. Both spouse and I use it, and it passes this test regardless of which of us takes it in for checking.

It’s a very simple device with nary a bell nor a whistle, which may be why it’s still working well. :slightly_smiling_face:

According to Forbes.com’s Everything You Need To Know About Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors For Seniors,

Common reasons for inaccuracies in wrist blood pressure monitor readings include:

  • Irregular heart rhythm: These monitors are not as accurate for people with irregular heart rhythms, because they’re designed to pick up a regular pattern, and irregular patterns can easily trick them, says Dr. Avetian. If you have an irregular heart rhythm, you might be better off with an upper arm cuff. The blood vessels in the wrist are narrower, and an irregular rhythm accentuates the smaller passageway, making it harder to get an accurate reading.
  • Anatomy of the wrist: Wrist blood pressure monitors are less accurate than upper arm cuffs simply because of wrists’ structures. “The wrist arteries are more narrow and not as deep under your skin as those of the upper arm,” says Dr. Kroll.
  • Human error: Wrist blood pressure monitors are finicky. The monitor has to be in exactly the right position and, as Dr. Avetian notes, any motion can throw the reading off.

That last point is exactly what we’ve found when using the IW1 and an Omron HEM-6221 we got more recently. The latter’s readings vary wildly at the slightest movement of the arm. The instructions that came with it didn’t help, as they actually make it difficult to keep the arm still enough. But the IW1’s simple instructions work well: with the other hand, hold the monitor-wearing wrist against the chest at about the location of the heart while taking the reading. It’s easy to keep the arm still. The HEM-6221’s readings are also accurate when that method is used.

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For those interested in blood pressure measurement developments: researchers have come up with an apparently accurate blood pressure monitor clip that simply goes over a smart phone’s camera. See Simple, low-cost clip uses a smartphone’s camera and flash to monitor blood pressure | News Medical for more information.

I find it interesting that blood pressure measured in this way matches that taken via the usual cuff on the arm, and without even having to enclose the finger in a tiny cuff or clamp. :slightly_smiling_face:

So this method sounds promising! It needs more testing and development before it can hit the market, though.

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We already have wearables that provide health measures. Some include BP although as you noted they are not always reliable. Whether the suggested low cost adaption of a smart phone camera avoids various issues or with further trials limitations arise -
From proof of concept to reliable product, some make it, some don’t.

Curiosity suggests future reviews by Choice will have a few more options to assess.

P.S.
I’m not sure I’m ready for a wearable constantly monitoring my vitals. It might reveal more about my personal habits than I care to know or share. The alternative outcome is it may prove useful in warning when I’m pushing the physical boundaries - EG Similar to the Cardiologist deciding there’s no value in continuing if it results in wheeling me out of the stress test to ER.