Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood inside an artery. A blood pressure measurement is taken by temporarily stopping the flow of blood in an artery (usually by inflating a cuff around the upper arm) and then listening for the sound of the blood beginning to flow through the artery again as air is released from the cuff.

As blood flows through the artery, it can be heard through a stethoscope placed on the skin over the artery. Blood pressure is recorded as two measurements.

The reading on the gauge when blood flow is first heard is called the systolic pressure. Systolic pressure represents the peak blood pressure that occurs when the heart contracts.
The reading on the gauge when blood flow can no longer be heard is the diastolic pressure. Diastolic pressure represents the lowest blood pressure that occurs when the heart relaxes between beats.

These two pressures are expressed in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) because the original devices that measured blood pressure used a column of mercury. Blood pressure measurements are recorded as systolic/diastolic. For example, if your systolic pressure is 120 mm Hg and your diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg, your blood pressure is recorded as 120/80 and read as \”120 over 80.\”

Home blood pressure monitors

Home blood pressure monitors make it easy to measure your blood pressure at home. If you are concerned that you might have high blood pressure or if your family has a history of high blood pressure, you may want to consider getting a home blood pressure monitor. If you know you have high blood pressure, you may want to get one to monitor your response to any blood pressure medication you are taking regularly.

The two general types of blood pressure monitors commonly available are manual and automatic. (Automatic types may also be called electronic or digital.)

Manual blood pressure monitors

Manual models are similar to those that your health professional might use to take your blood pressure. Called a sphygmomanometer, these devices usually include an arm cuff, a squeeze bulb for inflation, a stethoscope or microphone, and a mechanical gauge to measure the blood pressure. Manual blood pressure monitors require good eyesight and hearing to use them correctly. There are two basic styles of manual blood pressure devices.

These display the blood pressure on a circular dial with a needle. As the pressure in the cuff rises, the needle moves clockwise on the dial. As the cuff pressure falls, the needle moves counterclockwise. Again, a stethoscope is required; some models have the stethoscope head permanently attached to the cuff. The aneroid devices are compact and inexpensive but somewhat difficult to use. Also, the dial gauges may need to be recalibrated from time to time to maintain their accuracy.

Automatic (also called electronic or digital) blood pressure monitors

Electronic battery-operated monitors use a microphone to detect blood pulsing in the artery instead of having to listen with a stethoscope. The cuff, which is attached to your wrist or upper arm, is connected to an electronic monitor that automatically inflates and deflates the cuff when you press the start button. First you place your wrist or upper arm inside the cuff. Then press the start button on the monitor and wait for a reading to display. The monitor records your pulse as well as your blood pressure.
The electronic devices are by far the easiest to use, but they are also the most expensive. Generally, the electronic models that use an arm cuff are more accurate than those that use a wrist cuff.

The type of blood pressure monitor typically found in supermarkets, pharmacies, and shopping malls is an electronic device.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM)

Another method of measuring blood pressure, called ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), may be ordered by your health professional to provide a more accurate picture of your blood pressure over time. ABPM may be done if a manual or an electronic method of measurement yields inconsistent results.
ABPM automatically records blood pressure over a period of a few hours to an entire day. The device generally consists of a cuff worn on one arm and a monitor worn around the waist. Your health professional\’s office will fit you with the monitor and provide instructions on its use.

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Blood pressure monitoring can save your life. A good blood pressure monitor should be:

? Simple to use.
? Measure & save previous readings of blood pressure over time.
? Give a clear reading of Systolic & Diastolic Pressure.
? Have a good clear display so you can see what your blood pressure reading is.
? Be available at an affordable price so everyone can afford it.

Blood pressure monitoring is important. Owning your own blood pressure monitor and measuring blood pressure and keeping accurate up-to-date records can actually help to lower high blood pressure by reducing the amount of time you spend worrying about it.

And lowering high blood pressure is what most people want to do. Any kind of blood pressure machine can give you accurate results if used correctly. But attaching and reading your blood pressure information is much more difficult with some blood pressure instruments. So be sure to choose a blood pressure monitor that is comfortable, easy to attach and easy to read the blood pressure information that it offers so that you will be more likely to use it and use it more often.

Taking blood pressure readings can be easy and fun once you get the hang of it. So buy something that is easy, comfortable, and fun to use so that it will inspire you to take blood pressure readings more often. Because the more often you use it, the better understanding you will have of the things that affect your blood pressure. And the sooner you can begin to reduce high blood pressure.

Buying the wrong Blood pressure machine could actually raise your blood pressure each time before use if you have to struggle with putting it on, using it, or getting an accurate blood pressure reading.

Remember, there are many different brands and at least 3 different types of blood pressure monitors for sale on the market today. They include the regular blood pressure cuff, which wraps around your bicep (upper arm) like your doctor uses, a digital blood pressure monitor such as the wrist blood pressure monitor, which snaps or over your
wrist or the finger blood pressure meter which only requires you to point your finger through a small opening to detect your blood pressure reading.

The following questions will help you to identify which home blood pressure meter is best for you. You want to buy a blood pressure kit that is easy for you to use. Physical limitations may make it difficult for some people to use the blood pressure cuff monitor while people who want a most accurate reading may not want to use the finger blood pressure machine.

Every home blood pressure kit will give you accurate blood pressure readings, but it is important to note that some are much more sensitive than others. If you are looking for a monitor to measure low blood pressure, it is important to know that the blood pressure cuff monitor is the most sensitive to low blood pressure and the finger blood pressure monitor the least sensitive for taking a low blood pressure reading. If you have low blood pressure, you may want to consult your physician about this choice.

While age is really not the factor here there is a good chance that if you are looking for a home blood pressure monitor, you are older, and therefore may have limitations in what you can do. It is best to take an honest look at some of those limitations before buying a home blood pressure monitor.

Blood pressure cuff is much more difficult to place and control than the new wrist blood pressure monitor or finger blood pressure monitor that are for sale today. If you have another person who will be installing it on your arm then the cuff will give you the most accurate blood pressure reading.

Blood pressure cuffs come in different sizes. There are specific measurements for small medium and large sizes. You must measure your arm to determine the size of the cuff you need. Extremely thin persons, with petite arms may even need a child\’s cuff.

The blood pressure meter that connects to these monitors and actually gives you your blood pressure information come in different sizes and shapes. Make sure the numbers are large enough for you to read at the distance you must read them.

Also, many types of blood pressure instruments have the blood pressure meter connected directly to the blood pressure monitor itself, while others have a separate meter connected by a small wire or hose. You may want to think about these factors if you plan to carry the blood pressure monitor around with you. The compact wrist blood pressure monitor may be the best choice if you\’re always on the go. You can wear it like a watch and not have to worry about any dangling wires or loose hoses.

The blood pressure cuff is the most difficult to install but will give the most accurate results if installed correctly. The wrist blood pressure monitor balances accuracy with ease of use and the finger blood pressure monitor may be the least accurate (in comparison to other types)

Keep in mind that it is not the exact number you get as a blood pressure measurement that is always most important. It is the range of blood pressure readings you get each day and how they compare to your normal blood pressure reading that is most important.
So it is good to know your blood pressure normal reading to make immediate comparisons.

Consider the case that the blood pressure monitor comes in. Most blood pressure monitors are packed in a small soft case, while others have a hard case. Consider these differences as far as where and how you will carry it with you, and what kind of protection it will need. If you don\’t like the case, but do like the monitor, don\’t let that make your decision for you. You may just want to consider buying a better case for it (as you would do to carry good glasses).

The wrist and finger blood pressure monitors offer more privacy of use than the cuff type. These will also allow you to help others by easily allowing them to share your new tool by allowing them to easily do their own blood pressure privately. They also seem to be a little less problematic and easier to use.

Buy a quality tool not a toy. Your life may depend on it. A discount blood pressure monitor is better than no blood pressure monitor at all. But consider its importance to your overall health and peace of mind if you own a quality blood pressure monitor.

Guarantees on these monitors run from 1 year ? 5 years. Be sure to look for this information before making your purchase.
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As you are probably aware, the measuring of blood pressure is extremely important as a fore-warner and eliminator of heart attacks, strokes and other dire medical problems. What you may not know is that the best place for getting meaningful blood pressure reading is in the home. At the doctor?s office, most people are so nervous that the readings taken are abnormally high. In the trade, this is called ?white coat syndrome.? Similarly, in retail stores that offer blood pressure reading machines, or promotions that offer a nurse taking blood pressure, the excitement of ?being out? also tends to push up blood pressure. The relaxed atmosphere of the home, the taking of blood pressure at about the same time daily, on a frequent basis, is the best way to get accurate, meaningful blood pressure readings.

Knowing this, it is very important from a humanitarian point of view, that pharmacies push the sales of blood pressure monitors. It also is good business, as these units are high-ticket items, can sell in high quantities and deliver a long profit margin. Frankly, households with seniors and baby boomers? those over 50 years of age, should all own a blood pressure kit, and be encouraged to monitor blood pressure frequently.

Increasing Sales of Blood Pressure Monitors

Several things can be done to increase the sales of blood pressure monitors. First, they should be well exposed in the store - on shelves, floor stands and in easily viewed display cases. Secondly, they should be attractively priced. Recently, marketers of sphygmamometers (blood pressure kits) have been lowering costs dramatically, so that manual units with attached stethoscopes can be retailed from $12.95 to $19.95, with long margins. Basic electronic units can sell at $29.95 or less, and deluxe auto-inflation blood pressure units, with ability to store several readings, can sell for $49.95 to $59.95. Periodic promotions with exciting advertisements will dramatically pull in customers and push up sales.

Line-up of Models Available

While the three lower-end types of blood pressure units mentioned above all take readings from the upper arm, several deluxe units also are available. There are table wrist units and wristwatch type units, retailing from $69.96 to $99.95. These generally have 7-time (or more) memories and the ability to average what is stored in the memory.

Units which take readings from the index finger have been around for more than a decade, retailing around $59.95-$79.95. Printer units, which store readings then print them out with date and time, and often graph or average stored readings, also are available, generally selling for $99.95-$129.95. In addition, all electronic units take and report the pulse rate.

Treatment of Hypertension

Hypertension is usually treated by medication and lifestyle changes. Generally, medications must be taken daily, often for the rest of the patient?s life. They can become quite costly, even if the cost per dose is fairly low. These medications can have significant negative impact on quality of life for patients, who often are elderly and may be on fixed incomes, especially if they must pay all or part of the cost. Lifestyle changes often are a good way to control or help to control hypertension.

Among these lifestyle changes are smoking cessation or reduction, weight loss, exercise and dietary changes including reduced sodium intake and reduced fat intake. Over a period of time, good compliance with these lifestyle changes often can significantly reduce the need for medications and reduce or eliminate both the associated costs and side effects.

Blood Pressure Monitor Market Experiencing Rapid Growth

While marketers of blood pressure monitors do not divulge their sales volume, it is generally believed that about six million home blood pressure units are sold per year in America, with a retail value of around $200,000,000 to $250,000,000.

More importantly, the market is probably growing at 15-20% per year, as our population ages and as the idea of self-monitoring becomes more widely accepted. Virtually all home units are made in the Far East, in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Indonesia. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) carefully checks the quality of units coming into the country, thereby assuring a minimal high quality. Virtually all blood pressure monitors carry a 1-year or 2-year warranty.
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