Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home with Beurer Blood Pressure Monitors
New age technology based on the revolutionary principles of Fuzzy Logic * makes it possible for people to check and monitor their blood pressure frequently, conveniently, anytime and anywhere. Fully automatic upper arm blood pressure monitors and wrist type blood pressure monitors are affordable, simple to use and give accurate and clear measurements of the following parameters:
- systolic blood pressure (blood pressure on the heart muscle contraction - the higher reading)
- diastolic blood pressure (blood pressure at the time of the heart muscle relaxation - the lower reading)
- pulse rate
* Fuzzy Logic is also used in computer programming; expert systems such as used by doctors for diagnostic purposes; digital cameras; spelling checkers and other applications of artificial intelligence.
Commonly used types of Blood Pressure Monitors
- Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors
- Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors
Both types of modern Blood Pressure Monitors are accurate and reliable, especially the commonly used medically accredited brands of Blood Pressure Monitors, such as made by the German manufacturer Beurer GmbH. The Upper Arm Monitors are normally larger and have a arm cuff. Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors are perfect for home use by more than one family member. The Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors are smaller, lighter and compact and are perfect for travel. Multi-user Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors are now commonly available, enabling convenient use by couple during travel.
Beurer Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors
Beurer Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors are widely used for monitoring of blood pressure at home.
- Beurer BM 40 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with XXL Display
- Beurer BM 45 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with WHO Indicator
- Beurer BM 54 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with Bluetooth
- Beurer BM 57 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with Bluetooth
- Beurer BM 58 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with Touch Screen Display
- Beurer BM 81 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with easyLock Cuff and Bluetooth
- Beurer BM 85 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with Bluetooth
- Beurer BM 93 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with ECG Function
- Beurer BM 95 Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with ECG Function
To purchase any of the Beurer Upper Arm Monitors listed above, please follow the links to individual pages with named Beurer Upper Arm Monitor.
Beurer Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors are recognised for their accuracy, ease of use and affordability, delivering quality at accessible price to everyone that needs a quality blood pressure monitor for private use at home. Beurer Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors are indicated for measuring and monitoring of arterial blood pressure on the arm. The Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors are generally regarded as more clinical and more precise than the Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors. The measurements are simple to perform and can be easily done by anyone in need of blood pressure monitoring at home. Beurer Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors are made to stringent requirements and specifications of Medical Devices Directive MDD 93/42/EEC and hold appropriate CE mark.
The range of Beurer Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors is wide and covers devices from fully automatic simple models with single memory channel to most comprehensive modern models with dual memory channels and touch screen. There is something for everyone's need or preference and you can select your own Beurer Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor as appropriate to your requirements and circumstances. Until recently, the upper arm blood pressure monitors were the only type of monitors credited with accuracy and reliability. Despite rigorous testing of the wrist monitors, some doctors continue to consider the upper arm blood pressure monitors as the most preferable method of blood pressure monitoring. Upper arm blood pressure monitors are used by people of all ages and can also be very useful in elderly care in care homes.
Blood Pressure basics
Blood transports the nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body through a network of blood vessels (i.e. veins, arteries and capillaries).
Blood pressure depends on factors, such as the amount of circulating blood, pumping strength of the heart, diameter of the vessels and any resistance to the blood flow within the vessels (i.e. obstructions and narrowing). Balanced and normal blood pressure helps to facilitate correct flow of the blood within the body. Excessively low blood pressure may prevent the blood reaching the extremities, thus starving them of oxygen and nutrients. Raised or high blood pressure can precipitate damage to the blood vessels walls and to the heart muscle. If high blood pressure is not discovered and treated appropriately, it can contribute and lead to dangerous life threatening events. Amongst these are heart disease and strokes.
Changes in blood pressure are indicators of the overall state of health. Changed blood pressure may signal a presence of an underlying health conditions that need treatment. Inappropriate blood pressure can manifest an unhealthy lifestyle that requires modification. In general, blood pressure should alert you to forthcoming potential health problems that may be avoided or prevented, if prompt medical advice is sought and appropriate action taken.
High Blood Pressure - Hypertension
High Blood Pressure can damage your health! It can kill!
Hypertension is especially dangerous, when the sufferers are unaware of the changes in blood pressure and without treatments to control the high blood pressure. Controlling blood pressure often involves management of underlying conditions that cause the blood pressure to rise. Hypertension is often a silent problem that can go undetected for many years. If undetected and untreated, hypertension causes great damage to health. The longer the high pressure is untreated, the greater the damage it can cause. Medical professionals, patients groups and charities alike, all contribute significantly to the understanding and awareness of high blood pressure, its symptoms, assessment methods and diagnosis, available treatments and long term management.
Morning Hypertension
Morning Hypertension is defined as the weekly average for morning blood pressure readings (blood pressure measured within 1 - 2 hours after awakening from night sleep) in excess of 135/85 mm Hg.
There are two types of morning hypertension:
- Patients either have consistently high blood pressure through the night or experience blood pressure increases while asleep.
- Patients experience extreme dips in blood pressure at night and extreme surges in blood pressure in the morning.
In either case, it is very difficult to detect morning hypertension. By the time patients are seen by a doctor, their blood pressure may have already decreased, thus making the condition very difficult or virtually impossible to diagnose. This why doctors often recommend monitoring blood pressure at home.
There are important reasons why patients are being encouraged to differentiate between general hypertension and morning hypertension. It is common knowledge that cardiovascular events and stroke are more common in the morning, and both appear to be linked to morning hypertension. Organ damage and diabetic complications also seem to correlate with morning blood pressure surges.
Low Blood Pressure - Hypotension
Most low blood pressure problems arise, when blood pressure drops very suddenly, depriving the brain of adequate blood supply. This causes dizziness, light-headedness and unsteadiness. In some people, postural hypotension can occur, when suddenly rising up from a sitting or lying down position. Postural hypotension is simply pooling of the blood in lower limbs. Postural hypotension can cause falls and lead to fall related injuries, which can be gravely serious - especially in the frail elderly people.
People should be aware of their own blood pressure and alert to the dangers posed by untreated high blood pressure. Medical guidance is essential to the long term welfare of people with blood pressure problems. This is especially important, when high blood pressure is the problem.
There are many factors that play a part in the increased risk of high blood pressure. These include age, family history and gender. Many underlying conditions or diseases, such as pregnancy, hormonal disturbances, diabetes or kidney disorders can cause hypertension or exacerbate it. Lifestyle habits, such as diet, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and poor level of fitness (i.e. regular exercising) also play important roles in the management of blood pressure.
Advances in medical sciences make it possible to effectively correct and control blood pressure. There are many different drug treatments available. Basic lifestyle changes, namely stopping smoking, eating healthier diet and exercising can also make a significant difference.
Personal Blood Pressure Management points
- When in doubt, consult your doctor or a nurse
- Follow medical advice and recommendations
- Improve your understanding of blood pressure
- Know the contributory risk factors
- Maintain healthy lifestyle - stop smoking, don't drink alcohol excessively, eat healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, reduce your intake of fat and salt, lose weight and exercise regularly
- Check and monitor your blood pressure frequently
- Keep track of your blood pressure! If your blood pressure is higher than your doctor advises, seek further help
- Remember to always consult your healthcare professional - a doctor or a nurse - if you are worried about your blood pressure, experience any unusual symptoms or are worried about any aspects of your health
Blood Pressure Monitoring at home
Doctors, physician assistants, nurses and other healthcare professionals recommend blood pressure monitoring at home for various reasons, including person's ability to:
- Be constantly aware of your personal blood pressure as a vital indicator of your overall health
- Provide your doctor with important information enabling to better understand and manage your high blood pressure
- See how you are responding to medication
Many types of hypertension can only be detected by monitoring your blood pressure at home, including:
- White-coat Hypertension: blood pressure reading is high in doctor's surgery, but lower at home
- Masked Hypertension: blood pressure reading is low in doctor's surgery, but higher at home
Additionally, many factors can affect your blood pressure, including physical exertion, emotional fluctuations, medications and stress, so it's important to regularly monitor your blood pressure at home. Monitoring your blood pressure at home allows you to more easily get to a relaxed state and the flexibility to take your measurements at various times during the day. By keeping track of your home blood pressure readings, you can provide your healthcare professional with a log of blood pressure measurements over time, which can help them evaluate the effectiveness of your treatment.
Why should you monitor your blood pressure at home?
The cardiovascular system keeps human life going. Disorders such as high blood pressure must not be overlooked or underestimated as they can seriously damage the quality of life as well as lead to premature death if untreated for a significant length of time. Blood pressure should be checked regularly and on high quality reliable devices. Measuring and monitoring blood pressure at home can help people to be vigilant and aware of their own state of health between visits to medical practitioners. It can also help you understand your own blood pressure and what influences it positively or negatively during your normal life, thus helping you to make positive lifestyle choice for better health and also providing your doctor with important factual information.
How to identify the best blood pressure monitor for your personal use and to share with your family members
Consider your personal and family requirements versus different specifications of different models and choose blood pressure monitor model that best fits your needs.
Useful Tips for Safe and Accurate Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home
- Always measure your blood pressure at the same time of the day to ensure comparability of the readings
- If possible - measure your blood pressure twice daily - in the morning and in the evening
- Take note of your readings - systolic and diastolic values and your pulse with date and time of the measurements
- Relax for 5 minutes before taking the measurements
- If you need to repeat the measurement - wait 5 minutes before taking successive reading
- The readings are for your personal awareness - however, you must also discuss these with your doctor!
- Monitoring blood pressure at home is not a substitute for your medical consultations, medical examinations and medical advice!
- At no account you must make your own medical decisions, such as discontinuing or changing daily doses of medication prescribed by your doctor!
- If you suffer with chronic or acute vascular disease, use upper arm blood pressure monitors in preference to the wrist type monitors!
- If your monitor regularly comes up with an error message - test it on another person to exclude possibility of a mechanical fault. If thereafter your measurements continue to show error consistently - consult your medical practitioner or a nurse as the measuring error may signal underlying health problems that preclude the unit from carrying out readings. Such problems include hypotension (low blood pressure), cardiac arrhythmia, irregularities in blood circulation and other problems that you may not be aware of and that may require medical attention.
- If in any doubt or if you are worried about your blood pressure or your health in general - consult your doctor immediately! Untreated and uncontrolled high blood pressure is dangerous!
Questions Asked About Blood Pressure
- What is blood pressure?
The heart is a small but very powerful pump that beats steadily. The pressure created by the heart to pump the blood through the blood vessels is called blood pressure. When the heart muscle contracts, the blood surges through the arteries - this is when the systolic (upper) blood pressure value occurs. The diastolic (lower) value is the resting pressure before the heart contracts again.
- What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?
The trouble with high blood pressure is that usually, there are no symptoms. The best idea is to ask your doctor for a check-up and use a personal blood pressure monitor to monitor it between the formal check ups by your doctor.
- What are the long term risks of high blood pressure?
Without treatment, high blood pressure can lead to numerous health problems, such as heart attacks, circulatory problems and kidney failure. High blood pressure is also one of the most common causes of strokes.
- What causes high blood pressure?
Many factors linked to modern living. Among the most common are obesity, high consumption of alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise and the stress of modern life. High blood pressure can also be hereditary.
- What can I do to lower my blood pressure?
Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruit, fresh vegetables, potatoes and rice. Avoid animal fats and use less salt. Try to drink less alcohol and exercise more. If you smoke, stop. If needed, your doctor can prescribe suitable medication.
- How accurate are personal blood pressure monitors?
Extremely accurate, assuming they have been correctly calibrated and clinically validated, such as Beurer Blood Pressure Monitors or Omron Blood Pressure Monitors.
- Upper arm or wrist type monitor?
Both types of blood pressure monitors give accurate and reliable results. Upper arm blood pressure monitors are more traditional and are perfect for home use. Wrist blood pressure monitors are compact and more practical for use during travel.