If your doctor has advised you to start checking your blood pressure regularly at home, or if you simply have a vested interest in monitoring your health more closely, you can measure and record your blood pressure in just a few minutes with a blood pressure monitor. No one who has visited a doctor’s office is unaware of a blood pressure monitor, better known formally as a sphygmomanometer, that includes an inflatable cuff that, when pressurized, prevents blood flow in the artery. A meter measures the difference between impeded and unobstructed blood flow, and there you have it: your blood pressure.
Taking a blood pressure reading is pretty straightforward. You don’t have to be a medical professional to do it, which is why home blood pressure tests are so common. As long as you follow the instructions that come with your chosen blood pressure monitor and put the bracelet on correctly, it’s generally pretty foolproof.
But your choice of blood pressure monitor is important. First question: is it accurate? The best blood pressure monitors are medically validated, which means they need to be accurate, calibrated, and give results close to what you would see in the doctor’s office, just look for terms like medically validated, clinically validatedor FDA approved For security. If in doubt, keep the receipt and take the purchase to your doctor’s office. There, your doctor can use it and compare it to your own monitor. If the systolic pressure is within about 10 points of the doctor’s reading, it is fine for home use. If not, get a refund.
And while most blood pressure monitors intended for home use are automatic models that wrap around the upper arm, there are exceptions. Stay away from non-automatic monitors that require you to use a stethoscope.
Beyond that, you can choose from separate monitors with simple digital displays and smart models that sync with your phone and other health and fitness apps and equipment. These devices must upload and share your data in accordance with HIPAA guidelines, but that’s something else to consider if you have concerns about your personal privacy.
The best general blood pressure monitor
Beurer Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor
Beurer is a well-respected name on blood pressure monitors, and the company’s BM67 is a great mid-priced model that runs easily and reliably, with enough additional features to justify the rise of a very basic budget monitor. It is clinically validated and displays results on a large screen. In fact, the handful of controls are all large and well-marked, a reassuring interface for someone who might be nervous about doing blood pressure tests at home.
Your results are easy to interpret thanks to a color-coded system that allows you to quickly assess if your blood pressure is outside the nominal range without the need to interpret systolic and diastolic values. In addition to reporting the usual heart rate data, it also monitors heart rhythm disturbances and displays a warning if detected.
While some monitors allow you to test up to two people separately, the BM67 allows up to four users and records a history of the last 30 results of each test, in most cases enough for the whole family. Optionally, you can connect to your smartphone and sync results with the iOS or Android Beuer HealthCoach app. It is not the most complete blood pressure monitor app, but it helps to integrate your results with other daily health and fitness data.
The best smart blood pressure monitor
QardioArm Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor
The QardioArm Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor doesn’t look like a typical blood pressure monitor thanks to the large brick device attached to the cuff. But despite its appearance, it is easy to put on and simple to use. It is also clinically validated, so while it is always a good idea to bring a new monitor to your doctor’s office to make sure it is accurate, it is already validated and approved by the FDA, something not all monitors can claim. Speaking of precision, the QardioArm can automatically perform a triple measurement to ensure an accurate reading.
There are no controls or displays on the QardioArm itself; syncs with your phone via Bluetooth, where you can start a reading at the touch of a button in the QardioArm app for Android or iPhone. The app is especially easy to use, with screens designed not only to show you your numbers, but also to explain their meaning in context, and points to important indicators like irregular heartbeats. It is particularly versatile on the iPhone, where the app works with Apple Watch (you can run a test and see the results directly from the watch), although it also works with Alexa, Google Fit and other services, and you can also use the app to share your results directly with your doctor.
The best portable blood pressure monitor
Withings BPM Connect with carrying case
Many heart rate monitors are quite portable, especially “smart” monitors like Withings BPM Connect that are not connected to a display via hoses or cables. But Withings BPM Connect comes road-ready thanks to the included hard case. Everything is a compact 6.5 x 3.5 x 2.9 inch, easily thrown into any bag, case or backpack.
No matter where you choose to use it, Withings is especially easy to set up and use. Yes, this is a smart bracelet that works with a great app for both iPhone and Android, but you don’t need the phone close by to take a reading. Just press the button on the cuff, then see the results, color-coded for clarity. If your phone is not nearby, don’t worry – you can upload your results to the cloud via Wi-Fi. That said, the app provides useful additional context for your results, integrates with the Apple Health service on the iPhone, and allows you to check your history and share data with your doctor or others. It is also FDA approved and immediately validated.
The best blood pressure monitor with electrocardiogram
Omron complete with EKG
If you’re looking for more detailed information about your heart health than just your blood pressure, the Omron Complete Blood Pressure Monitor also has the ability to record your EKG. You probably won’t need EKG results unless your cardiologist recommends testing at home, and priced at around $ 200, it’s also expensive.
That said, if your doctor requests this, getting an Omron Complete EKG is as easy as taking your blood pressure (and, in fact, both tests are done at the same time). Traditionally, an EKG requires electrode placement, but to use the Omron Complete, just touch your thumbs with a pair of sensors. Results are displayed directly on your smartphone (iOS or Android) and can be saved or shared.
It’s worth noting that the first time you perform an EKG with Omron Complete, you cannot view your EKG until it is automatically uploaded to a board certified cardiologist, analyzed, and then a free medical interpretation is sent to you. After receiving your EKG report a day later, you are authorized to perform additional EKGs and view their results in real time.
For blood pressure readings, the monitor comes medically validated, so it is calibrated from the start. A smartphone is required for the EKG display, but you can view the blood pressure data directly on the monitor if your phone is not useful. You’ll also want to use the app to check your cardiac data history and share information with your doctor.
The best cheap blood pressure monitor
IHealth Track Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor
One of the least expensive FDA-approved blood pressure monitors on the market, you can get this accurate, easy-to-use device for under $ 40. It’s simple and straightforward; The monitor has a large color screen and color-codes your results as red, yellow, or green to indicate whether your results are nominal or a possible cause for additional attention. It also monitors heart rhythm disturbances, something that many blood pressure monitors don’t do, and certainly not many in this price range.
The monitor can record and store up to 99 readings on the device, but can optionally connect to the iHealth app on your iPhone or Android device via Bluetooth. The app supports unlimited readings.
The best blood pressure monitor for multiple users
Omron Evolv Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor
You might not think about the aesthetics of blood pressure monitors, but Omron Evolv is a great device. It is an all-in-one unit with the display and control mounted on the bracelet. Not only are there no tubes or cables, but you can see your results without having to search for a phone. With that said, the Evolv syncs to your phone via Bluetooth, giving you access to a host of additional features via the Omron app for iOS or Android.
If you share this monitor with others, the application is ready with the ability to accommodate any number of users and an unlimited reading history for each user. Omron goes further, because most blood pressure monitors, if they support saving data for multiple users, generally allow only two users; some can handle four. With the Evolv, there is no limit.
The Evolv is clinically validated, and Omron claims to achieve better precision than most other monitors by evaluating more data points, allowing it to eliminate routine interference that occurs through incidental arm movements.
The best wrist blood pressure monitor
Omron 7 Series Wireless Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor
Amazon
Omron 7 Series Wireless Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor
Most blood pressure monitors, both in the doctor’s office and at home, fasten the upper arm and for good reason. The American Heart Association specifically recommends measurements of the upper arm, because that is the most accurate way to take a measurement. But upper arm cuffs don’t work for everyone; If you are injured or there are other physical limitations that prevent you from taking your blood pressure that way, you may consider your wrist to be Plan B. The Omron Series 7 Wrist Monitor is a unique unit that integrates controls and display on the wrist . Fist mounted.
The clinically validated monitor has an on-screen guide to help you take your wrist reading in the correct position and at the proper level compared to your heart. It also detects an irregular heartbeat and has a hypertension warning that appears when your systolic measurement exceeds 130.
You can store a history of up to 90 readings on the Omron 7 series, and optionally connect to your iOS or Android phone via Bluetooth to store an unlimited number of readings in the Omron app.
