Types: Home monitors
1. Automatic arm monitors
  1. Most accurate
2. Manual arm monitors
3. Wrist monitors
  1. Most convenient but least accurate
Products: Best machines by Consumer Reports Study (June, 2003)
1. ReliOn (Made by Omron and sold as Wal-Mart brand)
  1. Consumer Reports best buy for $50
2. Omron Blood Pressure Monitors
  1. HEM-711AC (with Intellisence) for $80
  2. HEM-712C for $70
Equipment
1. See BP Examination for determining cuff size
Technique
1. Keep arm supported at heart level
2. Sit with back supported and feet flat on floor
3. Rest for 5 minutes before checking Blood Pressure (30 minutes following Exercise)
4. Take the average of 3 readings at 1 minute apart
5. Avoid caffeine (>30 minutes) and Tobacco (>2 hours) before taking Blood Pressure
References
1. (June, 2003) Consumer Reports, p. 22-4
2. (2008) Prescriber's Letter 15(3):14

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 5/10/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.