Blood Pressure Measurement

All about blood pressure monitors

Blood pressure monitors are medical devices used on a daily basis by health professionals to measure the blood pressure of patients during check-ups. Do you want to know everything about this leading medical device? Here is our guide.

What is a blood pressure monitor?

Blood pressure measurement is an integral part of general diagnosis. Blood pressure indicates the pressure with which blood flows through the arteries and is expressed in the unit mmHg (millimeter of mercury). Indeed, blood pressure is one of the important vital signs. Depending on the blood pressure, two diagnoses are possible: hypotonia in case of low blood pressure and hypertonia in case of high blood pressure. Blood pressure measurement is usually performed by a physician or medical staff. Regular measurement by the patient over a period of time is also possible to establish a trend and analysis over time.

Blood pressure monitors usually have a cuff connected by tubing to an analog or digital measuring device. This can be attached to the upper arm or wrist. For an accurate measurement, it is important to attach the cuff at heart level. The artery is compressed when the cuff is inflated. Auscultatory sounds, also called Korotkoff sounds, become audible through a stethoscope when the pressure generated by the cuff is released. By using a blood pressure monitor, these heart rates can be directly recorded.

How does a blood pressure monitor work?

Two main families of automatic blood pressure monitors can be separated according to the way they are placed on the patient, although the French National Authority for Health recommends the use of an electronic arm blood pressure monitor.

Upper arm monitors are generally more accurate and less prone to error. This is due to better blood flow in the upper arm because of the larger vessels and its proximity to the heart. In addition, these monitors are used at heart level, which allows for better results. We recommend this type of monitor if your patient has a serious heart condition such as high blood pressure, low blood pressure or if you need a more accurate measurement. Upper arm monitors are also recommended if your patient has arterial disease or Parkinson's disease, as is often the case with the elderly.

While blood pressure monitors are an integral part of a doctor's office or clinic's equipment, they can also be used in the home with devices that have larger screens that make it easy to read the results. Our customers particularly appreciate the medicus X arm blood pressure monitor from boso or the Autotensio from Spengler.

Wrist blood pressure monitors are recommended for patients who only need to have their blood pressure measured occasionally and for whom slight deviations in mmHg values are of little importance. This type of blood pressure monitor can be used easily and flexibly thanks to its compact design. We recommend the boso medistar+ or the Spengler Tensonic blood pressure monitor.

A blood pressure monitor can be based on the oscillometric method or on the auscultatory method. Indeed, the auscultatory method is the primary method, it is based on the analysis of Korotkoff's noises thanks to a stethoscope, at the moment when the cuff deflates. On the other hand, oscillometry is based on the analysis of the oscillations of the arterial wall that the blood pressure monitor collects.

Why use a blood pressure monitor?

A blood pressure monitor is an essential tool for any medical consultation. Regardless of your specialty, you may use a blood pressure monitor to monitor your patient. Certain categories of patients are more likely to have their blood pressure taken regularly. These include:

• People over 50 years of age
• People who are overweight
• People with family members who have high blood pressure
• Postmenopausal women
• People with low blood pressure

Ideally, blood pressure should be less than 135/85 mmHG in an adult. This is your blood pressure, which is the force your blood exerts on the artery walls. The first value obtained is the number corresponding to the contraction of the heart, the highest number: the systolic pressure. The second value corresponds to the moment when the heart relaxes, it is the diastolic pressure. In order to obtain accurate values, it is essential to place the sensors on the humeral artery. For this purpose, healthcare professionals can use a humeral or aneroid blood pressure monitor, which is the other name given to automatic and manual blood pressure monitors, respectively.

What can a blood pressure monitor detect?

Measuring blood pressure can reveal different types of pathology such as high or low blood pressure. Although less dangerous than hypertension, it still requires regular monitoring and frequent controls. In order to diagnose hypertension, it is essential to take regular measurements:

• At least two measurements per visit on the patient remained at rest for at least 5 minutes
• At least one examination during several weeks, even several months

In this process, it is useful to be able to carry out self-measurement or to be helped by a relative at home with a digital blood pressure monitor. As a general rule, you should take your blood pressure three times in the morning and three times in the evening for three consecutive days in order to confirm or not the initial diagnosis of the practitioner.

The different types of blood pressure monitors

The use of analog or manual blood pressure monitors, also known as manometers or aneroid blood pressure monitors, in combination with a stethoscope, has become established in clinics and medical practices. Which monitor best suits your needs depends on your specialty. Electronic blood pressure monitors can, for example, prove their worth when it comes to measuring blood pressure and recording data such as time and date over a longer period of time at the same time. In the DocCheck store, we offer blood pressure monitors that are specially designed for use in clinics and medical practices. In case of regular blood pressure control, we recommend you to buy a blood pressure monitor for private use, such as digital upper arm or wrist blood pressure monitors. Regular blood pressure monitoring is required if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or coronary heart disease.

What is the difference between digital and manual blood pressure monitors? Here is an overview of the advantages of each type of blood pressure monitor.

Digital Blood Pressure Monitors

These are the most recent blood pressure monitors. Although the first model dates back to 1993, engineers have constantly improved the models to arrive at today's models. Digital blood pressure monitors are simple, reliable and convenient.

Electronic or digital blood pressure monitors are available in upper arm or wrist versions. This makes them easy to use and suitable for use in medical offices, but also in the private domain. Their ability to analyze and evaluate the measured values makes them ideal for all users, even the most novice. They are generally based on the oscillometric method to automatically determine the various values of interest (systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and pulse). They therefore include an electronic manometer that allows the artery pressure to be reported in real time.

In addition, digital blood pressure monitors are equipped with additional functions such as recording irregular heart rhythms, storing variables established on measure, calculating various averages and transferring data to an external device. This connected device makes analysis and follow-up easier for the practitioner. The carat professional blood pressure monitor from boso is one of the blood pressure monitors designed for use in medical practices and comes with cuffs of various sizes. We also offer blood pressure monitors for home use.

The automatic blood pressure monitor is a good solution, because it avoids errors related to poor stethoscope hearing. It does not always require extensive medical knowledge and can be used by the relatives of a person requiring special monitoring in the case of an illness or to monitor the appearance of any hypertension. The large memory capacity makes it possible to develop trends and curves to follow the patient over a long period of time. In addition to the ease of use, they are also extremely reliable, as the method used has been proven to be valid for decades. The connectivity of these devices allows reading on various devices such as a smartphone or a computer.

Manual blood pressure monitors

Manual or aneroid blood pressure monitors are among the most proven medical devices and are used solely for upper arm blood pressure measurement. These devices have been around since the early 20ᵉ century and are often also referred to as professional blood pressure monitors. With this type of blood pressure monitor, blood pressure is taken in a similar manner using an inflatable manometer and a stethoscope. This type of medical device is rather reserved for health professionals, because their use is relatively complex and requires a more in-depth knowledge and training of the user in its use. It is necessary to read the systolic and diastolic pressure directly from the manometer when deflating the cuff.

Even if the latter is more complex to access than the new blood pressure monitors, it can be useful in the follow-up of certain patients with specific pathologies for which the algorithms are not always trained. The manoportal blood pressure monitor is the best known of all. It consists of a case, an inflation bulb and a decompression system. The case is connected by a flexible tube to the cuff that is attached directly to the patient's arm. Unlike the manobrassard blood pressure monitor, which is made up of a simple cuff with an integrated measurement case, the manopoire model is better adapted to the different patient morphologies that can be encountered. Indeed, the size of the cuff is more easily adjustable.

In terms of manual tensiometers, we recommend the LIAN NANO tensiometers from Spengler as well as the single-pipe tensiometer "Pffft" from our own brand DocCheck. It is worth remembering that a manual blood pressure monitor is also very reliable if the patient has no particular pathology and if it is used by a professional.

Specific blood pressure monitors

It is often necessary to monitor your patient's blood pressure over an extended period of time. For this purpose, we recommend 24-hour monitors. Oscillometric measurement is particularly useful for measuring over a longer period of time, as the microprocessor records and evaluates the blood pressure deviations. By using this type of monitor, you will no longer need to use stethoscopes, microphones or electrodes.

ABI systems are used for the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PA). Depending on the manufacturer and model, they can record the systolic pressure index (SPI) and pulse wave velocity. This allows you to make an accurate and complete measurement and to prevent heart attacks or strokes.

The various accessories

At DocCheck, we have all the medical diagnostic equipment you need. This includes many accessories for the medical profession, especially to accompany them during their daily examinations. Do you needaccessories for blood pressure monitors or spare parts? Look no further! DocCheck offers a wide range of diagnostic instruments and additional accessories such as blood pressure cuffs, tripods, wall-mounting systems, cases, hygienic covers and carrying straps.

Order a blood pressure monitor online at DocCheck

Would you like to purchase a blood pressure monitor for your practice or clinic? You will find on the DocCheck store all the necessary equipment for an accurate blood pressure measurement of great brands such as the market leader Spengler which collaborates with the French federation of hypertension to develop its products in an optimal quality. In addition, you can find other proven brands such as boso, Omron and Erka. Whether digital or manual blood pressure monitors, to be placed on the wrist or upper arm, for professional use or at home, we offer you top quality at internet prices. Order your blood pressure monitor online at the DocCheck store and benefit from fast delivery and a service that meets the highest standards. In addition, the DocCheck store also offers discounts for students and the possibility to have your medical equipment engraved.