Place of measurement
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Shoulder. The classic version of the location of the blood pressure monitor cuff is on the shoulder of the left hand, ideally at the level of the heart. Shoulder arrangement can have tonometers of all types (see above).
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Wrist. Wrist pressure measurement is found only among automatic models (see "Type"). The main advantage of such models is compactness. On the other hand, they are not recommended for the elderly, and many models are unable to work correctly with arrhythmia or a weak pulse — this point should be clarified separately when buying a device.
Cuff dimensions
The cuff's applicable range includes both the minimum and
maximum circumferences of the upper arm or wrist (see "Place of measurement"). Modern blood pressure monitors typically feature cuffs suitable for individuals with average physique, covering the majority of adult patients. However, for specialized cases, such as monitoring a child or someone with a larger bicep circumference, it is advisable to measure the arm circumference and compare it with the specified cuff sizes.
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Small. The small cuffs are designed for a shoulder girth of 17-22 cm.
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Standard. Standard cuffs cover a shoulder girth of 22-32 cm.
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Oversized. Oversized cuffs have a girth of 22-36 cm.
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Universal. Cuffs for both thin and large people. Universal cuffs provide a shoulder girth of 22-42 cm.
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Large. Large cuffs with a girth of 33-46 cm are suitable for a full arm or a muscular shoulder of a conditional bodybuilder.
Recording readings
The number of results that can be simultaneously stored in the blood pressure monitor's memory. The ability
to store several results in memory can be useful, for example, to compare pressure readings in the morning, afternoon and evening — these results do not have to be manually recorded or memorized.
Functions
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Pulse measurement. The ability to use a blood pressure monitor to measure heart rate (pulse). This frequency, along with blood pressure, is one of the most important indicators of the state of the cardiovascular system.
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Determination of arrhythmia. Blood pressure monitors with this feature are able to track irregularities in the heartbeat (arrhythmia) — one of the important signals of health problems — and warn the user about it.
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Medium pressure calculation. This function allows you to automatically calculate the average pressure based on several consecutive measurements.
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Signal about measurement errors. Blood pressure monitors with this function are able to display error signals that can affect the accuracy of measurements — such as incorrect cuff application, air leakage from it, movement during measurement, device electronics failure, etc.
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Auto switch-off. Most semi-automatic and automatic models of blood pressure monitors are able to automatically turn off after a few minutes of inactivity. This saves battery power.
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Synchronization with PC. In this case, a wired connection is implied, not
Bluetooth. Synchronization of the blood pressure monitor with a PC allows you to track
...all the measurement results in one table (in some models — even with the date and time), save the results to the PC, freeing up the device's memory, select measurements for calculating the average pressure, etc.
— Bluetooth. The presence of wireless data transfer technology allows you to use the features described in the paragraph "Synchronization with a PC" by connecting to a smartphone and using a special application. This method is more mobile, easier and faster.
— Voicing the measurements. Such blood pressure monitors are able not only to display the measurement results on the screen, but also to voice them, which can be very useful for elderly people with poor eyesight.
— Date and time indication. Having the ability to display the current date and time is useful for recording blood pressure measurements and tracking them over time. Blood pressure monitors equipped with a clock and calendar feature can automatically store measured pressure results in memory, associating them with specific date and time stamps when there is a recording mode.
— WHO colour scale. The World Health Organization has established standards defining normal, low, or elevated blood pressure values. These standards incorporate a color scale that, after each measurement, aids in assessing the pressure status and determining appropriate actions. It's important to note that individual variations exist, and what constitutes normal pressure differs for each person. Therefore, these standards are generally advisory, providing guidance rather than prescribing specific actions.