The Finger Blood Pressure Monitor
Is it Accurate?

Let`s check it out! What are the pros and cons of the finger blood pressure monitor?

It looks very appealing and is the latest in blood pressure monitoring technology. I am thinking of buying one for my family for the convenience it affords. You can keep it available for friends and family so that they too can check their blood pressure when they visit.

The positives or pros of a finger blood pressure monitor are it`s light weight, it`s mercury-free mechanism and it`s ease of use. It is a device that has a finger compartment with a cuff inside that inflates to enclose the finger and put pressure on the veins. This all happens automatically at the press of a button.

Because of it`s lightweight and size, you can carry it around, making it a convenient device for reading blood pressure regularly.


Quality, Safety and Performance Standards

What does the MDA (Medical Device Agency) have to say about the accuracy of a finger blood pressure monitor? Well first of all, who are the MDA?

They are a watchdog institute in Britain that uphold the quality, safety and performance of medical devices. This is the introduction to a directive in the year 2000 by this watchdog agency :

The Medical Devices Agency helps safeguard public health by working with users, manufacturers and lawmakers to ensure that medical devices meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and performance and that they comply with the relevant Directives of the European Union. Our primary responsibility is to ensure that medical devices achieve their fullest potential to help healthcare professionals give patients and other users the high standard of care they have a right to expect.

The Medical Devices Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department of Health

In their chart they said the finger blood pressure monitor was originally designed for home use and may not be suitable for all patients. As far as hygiene goes, they noted that because some devices cannot be washed, resulting in contamination, they were less than ideal for use, making them a health risk. But this is also true of some wrist monitors too. Another drawback when choosing them is that people with very thin fingers or cold fingers may not be able to use them. Keep this in mind if you are thinking of buying one.

Looking at their report on all the different devices for measuring blood pressure, either the wrist or finger blood pressure monitor is the best home blood pressure monitor because they have more pros than cons. The only seeming disadvantage of the wrist monitor is that it will give an inaccurate reading if positioned wrongly on the wrist, whereas the finger monitor is snug and stays in position. Taking the measurement from the wrist is better though because the finger has a weaker pulse giving you less of an accurate reading. A good tip I picked up from a user of the finger blood pressure monitor was to repeat the test and compare the results to get an average reading. That way you could get a more accurate result.

The ambulatory, blood pressure monitor; although mercury-free and light in weight, is rather expensive and can be a put off for buyers, whereas the finger and wrist monitors are reasonably priced.

The Mercury Sphygmomanometer and Aneroid Sphygmomanometer are said to be the best for accuracy but one contains the toxic substance, mercury, and the other is not so easy to use. It can be fiddly at first when your not used to positioning the arm cuff, using the stethoscope, inflating the bulb and watching the pressure gauge scale. Never-the-less, it is worth learning to use them for their accuracy alone. When you get used to it you will find it`s child`s play!

Whether you decide to buy, a wrist or a finger blood pressure monitor, keeping records of your readings will help you and your doctor a great deal. It will give him an overall knowledge of your progress, especially if you want to take charge of your own health using natural means. He may even be intrigued as to what you are taking and add it to his pool of knowledge for other patients.

I hope I have helped you weed out all the unnecessary jargon and hype, making it easier for you to choose the right monitor for yourself. The main thing is that it can help you take control of your health.

Good health to you!

Gem

Link here for Wrist and Arm Blood Pressure Monitors

See Charts to help with your finger blood pressure monitor

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