Question posed by whiterose3526: can anyone give me advice on blood pressure monitors?
I have two blood pressure monitors, and they give different readings when I take them the same time? which blood presure monitor is the best out there that can give accurate reading?
Best answer:
Answer by chuppkaychuppkay
Have both of them get tested with a mercury type BP monitor
Whether you agree or disagree, why not leave your own thoughts below.
To be honest taking blood pressures right after each other is going to send the second one off, Most of the time higher. If this isn’t the case I’d also check a difference in which arm you use, occasionally one can seem higher. Make sure that both the arm cuffs are the proper size for you, that can make a difference. Also that you sit quietly with your back against a chair and feet planted on the ground for 5 minutes before taking a reading for most accurate results.
You’re wasting your time and money, here’s why:
First, blood pressure is a fluid and dynamic process, it changes with every breath and heartbeat. To eliminate those two variables one would have to essentially practice fooling a lie detector. You cannot change those variables so it makes all the repeated readings moot. Even if you use only one machine, the sequential readings will be different each time. They will stay within a certain range, and that is what the doctor needs to know.
Second, the blood pressure that these machines generally give are “good enough” for home use. That is, they provide the user with general information about how high one’s pressure is. But there is no product on the market today that is 100% accurate. And guess what? There is no hospital in the United States that has a blood pressure machine that is 100% accurate.
Why?
The numbers that we read out, 120 over 80 (or whatever), is supposedly the pressure, at sea level, of blood exerted against a column of mercury. That is the original gold standard of blood pressure measurement. However, since mercury is now considered a toxin and is no longer allowed to be used, there are no longer mercury filled blood pressure machines. They are all filled with air instead, and a mathematical formula extrapolates the pneumatic pressure into a mercury pressure reading. But there is a problem with this, it makes the diastolic pressure artificially low, especially at the lower end readings. But clinically, they are considered to be “good enough” for their purpose.
My advice is, if the two machines read almost the same (eg 120 / 80 versus 128 / 84), then they are for all intents and purposes, exactly the same. If you get one reading of 120 /80 and the other is 170 / 100, then there is something obviously wrong with either device.
Blood pressure readings should be used to measure trends. One single reading is meaningless. If you measure persistently high over the course of several hours, then see your doctor.
Good luck.
Ralph