Wrist bp monitors are on the rise and are getting popular because the price they offer is comparable to arm bp monitors and they are more portable and easy to use.
Wrist units have been out for about eight years, and they are getting more and more popular because they are getting more portable and the price is coming down.
Wrist bp monitors use Oscillometric technology that measures the vibration of your blood traveling through your arteries and converts the movement into digital readings.
When to choose a wrist bp monitor?
Some people can't have their blood pressure measured at the upper arm because they have a very large arm or find blood pressure measurements painful. In these cases, measuring blood pressure at the wrist is acceptable.
When not to choose a wrist bp monitor?
Older people should avoid wrist bp monitor as their arteries get narrower as they age and it becomes difficult for a wrist bp monitor to take results.
And smokers should also avoid using wrist monitors.
And Diabetic people should also avoid using this blood pressure monitor.as their arteries may be calcified or porous.
Wrist Cuff Vs Arm cuff:
Cuff size is an important factor for accurate results and if you have disability in your arm or the cuff is too large or tight to fit in your arm and upper arm monitor has a cuff circumference of 22 to 32 cm which cannot be occupied by some people who may be obese or has large arm then you have to opt for a wrist bp monitor for your bp measurement.
Easy Handling:
Both upper arm and wrist bp monitors are easy to handle but wrist bp monitors are light weighted, smaller and more comfortable and portable which makes it easy to carry and use,
So, if you are a person who travels a lot then Wrist bp monitor could be a better choice over Upper arm bp monitor.
Since wrist monitors are sensitive and you have to maintain a correct posture aligned with your heart which sometimes can be difficult for some people but In upper arm Monitor your arm is already aligned with your heart and becomes much easy to take measurements.
Accuracy: Wrist vs Upper arm?
Wrist bp monitors can be accurate if you follow the guidelines as it is sensitive to body movement.
To get an accurate reading when taking your blood pressure with a wrist monitor, your arm and wrist must be at heart level.
Why some people complain about wrist bp monitor is because they don’t follow all the guidelines for accurate results and some of them are:
Do not keep any electronic device near the bp monitor while taking the measurement.
Avoid bathing, drinking alcohol or caffeine, and smoking, exercising and eating for at least 30 minutes before taking a measurement.
Rest for at least 5 minutes before taking a measurement
In short accuracy of wrist bp monitor is less accurate than upper arm bp monitor.
How to Buy the Best Blood Pressure Monitor for you:
The key factors you should look for while buying a blood pressure monitor, be it Arm or Wrist are:
Cuff size:
You should always buy the bp monitor that fits correct to your arm or if it’s not of correct size you can go with wrist bp monitor that has a cuff size acceptable to all people.
Ease of Use:
It should have a display that is easy to read and easy to use without much efforts.
Features:
It depends how many features you want, you may want a basic bp monitor that only views your bp level or a bp monitor that keeps a record of your result or a monitor that allows sharing your results with your mobiles.
These are features you should look for but there are many other features that makes a bp monitor the best.
These things are important to look into a bp monitor.
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