Blood pressure meter which one to choose?

Fortunately, today there are many different aids that are designed to monitor the state of human health. In this article, we will talk about such devays, as a blood pressure monitor.

Terminology

At the very beginning it is necessary to understand important terminology. So, the blood pressure meter is a national concept. In medical circles, this tool is called a tonometer. Its purpose is already clear from the name itself. After an extremely simple procedure, a person learns the indices of his upper (systolic) and lower (diastolic) pressure.

Types of tonometers

It is also worth mentioning that there are several types of blood pressure meters:

1. Mechanical, or classic. In its composition there will be a cuff on the hand, as well as a screen with an arrow that will move depending on the indicators.
2. Digital. In this case, the indicators will be displayed.
3. Mercury. Indicators can be determined from the movement of the mercury column.

The blood pressure meter can also differ and its location on the patient's arm. So, there are the following types of tonometers:

1. Wrist joints.
2. Finger.
3. Shoulder (classic).

Mechanical Tonometers

Now we will discuss each of these species more carefully. Let's consider for the beginning the blood pressure monitor mechanical. This device consists of the following parts:

• Cuffs on hand.
• Pears, through which air is supplied.
• Phonendoscope. This device that is inserted into the ears. It is necessary to measure the patient's heart rate .
• Manometer. That is, the dial on which you can see the pressure indicators.

It is worth noting that these type of tonometers are most often used in various medical institutions. And all because their cost is extremely low, and the duration of work and the correctness of the indicators are high. Such a meter is simple. On the arm (the area between the shoulder and elbow) is put a cuff, with the help of a pear air is pumped. The results can be obtained by viewing the movement of the arrow and listening to the pulse of a person.

Pros and cons of mechanical tonometers

Advantages of mechanical tonometers are as follows:

• Give the most accurate result. And all because they are least likely to be influenced from outside.
• The indicators are not distorted with small movements of the patient, as well as during a conversation.
• Does not require material investment (other than spent on the purchase of funds). He does not need batteries or additional battery charging.

Consider the shortcomings of mechanical tonometers:

• Extremely difficult to use at home (you must first learn to listen to the pulse and see the fluctuations of the arrow).
• If people have hearing problems (most often older people suffer from this), its use also becomes impossible.
• For some people, it can be quite difficult to inject air.

How to choose a mechanical tonometer?

If you want to purchase a mechanical blood pressure meter, you should pay attention to the following important points when buying:

1. The body of the tonometer. It should be metal. Well, if it is combined with a pear.
2. Also, it is undesirable that the phonendoscope body is plastic. This will significantly shorten its service life.

Automatic blood pressure monitors

There is also an automatic blood pressure monitor. It can be fixed on different parts of the arm: the shoulder, finger, wrist. Here the person does not spend absolutely any forces and energy at its use. After all, the air is pumped on its own. An important point: the correctness of the indicators directly depends on the patient's position (it is necessary to sit and keep the hand at the heart level), as well as the accuracy of the device's operation.

Pros and cons of automatic tonometers

What is a good automatic blood pressure meter?

• Fast measurement.
• It is convenient to use on a trip, on the street, at work.
• Automatic heart rate indicator.
• Compact size.

However, nevertheless, automatic tonometers have their own drawbacks:

• Specialists say that such tonometers give the least accurate result.
• Do not use in people with hypertension.
• Strict compliance with the instructions for use. Measurements should be carried out in a certain position, in a calm state, the hand should be kept correctly. Only in this way the indicators will be as accurate as possible.

Semi-automatic models

What is the difference between a semi-automatic blood pressure meter and an automatic one? Practically nothing. However, the air here will not be injected by yourself, but with the help of a pear. Consider the advantages of semi-automatic models:

• The cost. They are cheaper than automatic.
• Do not require additional material investment (battery, batteries, recharging).

However, such models have a number of drawbacks:

• It will be necessary to make an effort to pump air into the cuff.
• Low accuracy of indicators when the instructions are not observed.

It is important to note that during the application of semi-automatic models of tonometers, the same rules of use should also be followed, as in the case of automatic models.

A few words about mercury tonometers

As already mentioned, there are also mercury pressure meters. These are the "great-grandfathers" of modern tonometers. This device was invented by Dr. Riva-Rocchi from Italy in the distant 19th century. A modern such device consists of the following parts:

1. Pears for air injection.
2. Cuffs (worn on a certain part of the arm).
3. Mercury manometer.

The principle of its operation is the same as in the case of the mechanical model of a conventional tonometer. The air is pumped with a pear, the pulse is audible with a phonendoscope, and the pressure fluctuations are seen on the mercury tonometer. The main disadvantage is the toxicity of mercury, which significantly reduces the use of such a pressure meter. The advantage is very high - the most accurate results. Such tonometers are often used by specialists.

Brands

The most common models of tonometers are produced under the following brands: Microlife, A & D, Gamma, Longevita. But research suggests that most often patients buy the Omron Blood Pressure Meter. Why is that? It's simple. The price of the device is average, but there are many advantages. This is the quality of the material from which the device is made, and the clinical approbation of the tonometer, as well as the presence of indicators of increased blood pressure and arrhythmia.