Well, I guess I'll weigh into this discussion. I was a medic in the Army for 20 years and on offshore drilling rigs and construction barges for another 13. I personally prefer an aneroid sphygometer for three main reasons.
1. I am more accustommed to using the aneroid than a digital.
2. With the digital, I cannot hear the quality of the systolic and diastolic beats so I really can't be sure the cuff has been placed properly.
3. I find the calibration of digital products I have questionable. For example, I have a scale that weighs me differently each time I use it and can't seem to get it to keep calibration.
Tyco makes an excellent blood pressure kit with a built-in stethoscope. I ordered one with a large cuff online and with the $9.95 priority delivery charge, it costs only $45.99. All you do is wrap the cuff around your upper arm, lining up the line on the cuff with your brachial artery, put the stethoscope earpieces in your ears, pump it up to about 20-30mm above the las beat you heard and slowly release the air.
As to the question of when to take your BP readings. Many people take them at the same times daily. My cardiologist recommends I take mine several times a day at different times of the day so I can get a picture of what my BP reading is in during various levels of physical activities.
If you take your BP at the same time every morning, let's say upon rising, after lunch and supper and at bedtime, you will get an accurate reading of what your BP is during those particular times, not necessarily what it is during different types of physical and mental stress.
Well, that's my two cents. I am interested in what others think about my ideas.
Jeff
Linear Mode
