How to Use a Blood Pressure Machine at Home

Investing in a blood pressure machine that you can use at home is a great step in taking charge of your health and well being. It is also a great way to monitor your blood pressure every day so you can keep track of your readings for yourself and for your doctor.

This will help your doctor better manage your medications to provide the best possible care. There are two types of blood pressure machines you can use at home - aneriod monitors (also known as manual monitors) and digital monitors. Both these machines vary in how you use them so here are user instructions for each device.

This Device Controls Blood

Pressure However You Spell It!

Aneriod Monitors

1) Aneroid monitors require that you listen to your heart beat with a stethoscope. So the first step is to place the ear pieces of the stethoscope in your ears.

2) The disk at the other end of the stethoscope needs to be placed on the inside of the elbow on the fold.

3) Wrap the cuff around the upper left arm, level with the heart.

4) The cuff needs to be inflated manually with an aneriod blood pressure machine using the hand pump (bulb). The bulb needs to be squeezed rapidly and repeatedly until the reading exceeds you last systolic reading by approx. 30-40 points.

5) At this point the valve can be slightly loosened to let some air out of the cuff at a rate of about 2-3 mmps. If the cuff deflates more quickly than this the reading will not be accurate.

6) As the cuff is deflating you will start to hear your heart beating. It is important to be aware of the very first sound of your heartbeat because this is the moment that you need to take note of the number on the dial. This number is your systolic blood pressure reading.

7) As the cuff continues to deflate you will notice via the stethoscope that your heartbeat will stop. This is your second indication to take note of the dial reading. This result is your diastolic reading... and your done!

8) If you want to take a second reading it is recommended to wait at least three minutes before re-inflating the cuff.

Best Home Blood Pressure Monitor System

Digital Monitors

1) Place the cuff of the digital blood pressure machine around your upper left arm and turn the device on.

2) Depending on the model the cuff will either inflate automatically or need to be inflated manually with a hand pump in the same way an aneriod device needs to be inflated.

3) The cuff will begin to deflate slowly and automatically for all digital monitors at which point you can take the reading from the digital monitor.

4) You are now finished so you can press a button on the device that will let all the air out of the cuff.

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Using a Public Blood Pressure Machine

People that must take their blood pressure daily often make use of the free blood pressure machines found in malls or in the health sections of the supermarkets instead of investing in their own. However, with the exception of a select few, not many of these public machines are highly inaccurate and should not be relied on completely.

Any automatic BP machine should be fully charged and calibrated regularly, or the results are very misleading. If the power is not on full or fluctuates, the systolic and diastolic pressure readings will not be credible.

Also, the cuffs are not "one size fits all" and if the customer is overweight or extremely thin, again the readings won't be right. The person taking the reading may not also be fully versed on the upkeep of the machine, and any good they may be trying to do could possibly be negated by the bad results of the machine.

If the patient refuses to or cannot take his BP himself, the best option is still to get the reading at the doctor's clinic. However, there are simple BP machines that are also quite inexpensive available and the hypertensive patient should have one in case of emergencies.

The physician can definitely recommend trusted and proven brands if the patient would just ask. What is highly recommended for patients observing their arterial pressures on their own are the automatic BP machines, despite their being slightly troublesome to maintain as compared to the manual ones, which are almost maintenance free but are difficult to use by yourself.

While the patient learns how to lower blood pressure quickly, daily monitoring should be the norm. Coupled with a detailed diary of results, this is an invaluable resource for the attending physician when determining if the medications should be adjusted, changed, or done away with entirely. It's also good for when the patient isn't feeling well - the pressure levels can be taken and the results phoned in immediately to the physician or attending nurse if necessary.

A blood pressure machine is a necessary piece of equipment for anyone who is suffering from hypertension. Not only will it enable the doctor to have detailed records of any fluctuations during the week, but it can also warn of any impending trouble, with just a few simple maintenance issues - yearly calibrations and fully charged batteries. The blood pressure machine is indeed a terrific asset.

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