Fortunately, today there are many different aids that are designed to monitor the state of human health. In this article we will talk about such a device as a blood pressure monitor.
Terminology
At the very beginning, you need to deal with important terminology. So, a blood pressure monitor is a popular concept. In medical circles, this tool is called a tonometer. Its purpose is already clear from the name itself. After carrying out an extremely simple procedure, a person learns the indicators of his upper (systolic) and lower (diastolic) pressure.
Types of blood pressure monitors
It is also worth saying that there are several types of blood pressure meters:
- Mechanical, or classic. It will include a cuff on the arm, as well as a screen with an arrow, which will move depending on the indicators.
- Digital. In this case, the indicators will be displayed on the screen.
- Mercury. Indicators can be determined by the movement of the mercury column.
The blood pressure meter may also differ in its place on the patient’s arm. So, there are the following types of tonometers:
- Carpal.
- Finger.
- Shoulder (classic).
Mechanical tonometers
Now we will discuss each of these species more thoroughly. Consider first a mechanical blood pressure monitor. This device consists of the following parts:
- Arm cuffs.
- Pears through which air is supplied.
- Phonendoscope. This is a device that fits into your ears. Necessary to measure the patient’s heart rate .
- Pressure gauge. That is, the dial on which you can see the pressure indicators.
It is worth noting that it is precisely such tonometers that are most often used in various medical institutions. And all because their cost is extremely low, and the duration and accuracy of the indicators are high. Such a meter works simply. A cuff is placed on the arm (the area between the shoulder and the elbow), air is pumped with the help of a pear. Results can be obtained by viewing the movement of the arrow and listening to the pulse of a person.
Pros and cons of mechanical blood pressure monitors
The advantages of mechanical blood pressure monitors are as follows:
- They give the most accurate result. And all because they are least affected by outside influences.
- The indicators are not distorted with small movements of the patient, as well as during a conversation.
- It does not require material investments (except for the funds spent on the purchase). He does not need batteries or extra recharging the battery.
Consider the disadvantages of mechanical blood pressure monitors:
- It is extremely difficult to use at home (you must first learn to listen to the pulse and view the fluctuations of the arrow).
- If people have hearing problems (most often it is older people who suffer from this), its use also becomes impossible.
- For some people, air injection can be quite difficult.
How to choose a mechanical tonometer?
If you want to purchase a mechanical blood pressure monitor, you should pay attention to the following most important points when buying:
- Tonometer body. It should be metal. Well, if it is combined with a pear.
- It is also undesirable for the phonendoscope body to be plastic. This will significantly reduce its service life.
Automatic blood pressure monitors
There is also an automatic blood pressure monitor. It can be fixed on various parts of the hand: shoulder, finger, wrist. Here a person does not spend absolutely no strength and energy when using it. After all, air is pumped on its own. An important point: the correctness of the indicators directly depends on the position of the patient (you must always sit and keep your hand at heart level), as well as on the accuracy of the device.
Pros and cons of automatic blood pressure monitors
What is good about an automatic blood pressure monitor?
- The speed of measurement.
- It is convenient to use on a trip, on the street, at work.
- Automatic heart rate indicator.
- Compact size.
However, automatic tonometers still have their drawbacks:
- Experts say that such tonometers give the least accurate result.
- Do not use for people with hypertension.
- Strict observance of the instructions for use. Measurements must be carried out in a certain position, in a calm state, the hand must be held correctly. Only in this way will the indicators be as accurate as possible.
Semi-automatic models
What is the difference between a semi-automatic blood pressure monitor and an automatic? Virtually nothing. However, the air here will be pumped not independently, but with the help of a pear. Consider the advantages of semi-automatic models:
- Cost. They are cheaper than automatic.
- Do not require additional material investments (battery, batteries, recharging).
However, such models have a number of disadvantages:
- A force will be required to force air into the cuff.
- Low accuracy when non-compliance with instructions.
It is important to note that during the application of semi-automatic tonometer models, the same rules of use must also be observed as in the case of automatic models.
A few words about mercury blood pressure monitors
As already mentioned, there are also mercury pressure meters. These are the "great-grandfathers" of modern blood pressure monitors. This device was invented by Dr. Riva-Rocci from Italy in the distant 19th century. A modern such device consists of the following parts:
- Pears for pumping air.
- Cuffs (worn on a specific part of the arm).
- Mercury manometer.
The principle of its operation is the same as in the case with the mechanical model of a conventional tonometer. Air is pumped with a pear, the pulse is monitored using a phonendoscope, and pressure fluctuations are viewed on a mercury tonometer. The main disadvantage is the toxicity of mercury, which significantly narrows the range of use of such a pressure meter. The advantage is very large - the most accurate results. Such tonometers are most often used by specialists.
Brands
The most common models of tonometers are manufactured under the following brands: Microlife, A&D, Gamma, Longevita. But studies show that most often patients still buy an Omron blood pressure monitor. Why is that? Everything is simple. The price of the device is average, but there are many advantages. This is the quality of the material from which the device is made, and clinical testing of the tonometer, as well as the presence of indicators of high blood pressure and arrhythmia.