Ask your doctor for advice in selecting and using a device to monitor your blood pressure at home. Have the device checked by your doctor when it’s new and then annually for accuracy. The American Heart Association recommends an automatic, cuff-style, bicep (upper-arm) monitor. Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended because they yield less-reliable readings. Here are some other tips to follow when shopping for a blood pressure monitor:
• Make sure the monitor has been tested, validated and approved by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, the British Hypertension Society and the International Protocol for the Validation of Automated BP Measuring Devices.
• Ensure the monitor is suitable for your special needs.
• When selecting a blood pressure monitor for the elderly, pregnant women or children, make sure it is validated for these conditions.
• Make sure the cuff fits. Children and adults with smaller or larger than average- sized arms may need special-sized cuffs.
—Sources: American Heart Association
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection, November 2016
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