Manual Blood Pressure Monitors

 

The ease-of-use of automatic blood pressure monitors makes them the preferred choice nowadays for most people. But some still prefer a manual unit. In the words of the Omron website:

Manual blood pressure monitors are a very affordable alternative to automatic units. These monitors require manual inflation, which is accomplished by squeezing the blood pressure inflation bulb.

Omron sells just one manual unit, the HEM-432C (picture). In May 2007 this was the best-selling manual unit at Amazon.com.

In June 2003 Consumer Reports wrote about blood pressure monitors. According to a newssheet, "Home Blood Pressure Monitors" (pdf file), from the Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter, two manual arm units were "equally rated by Consumer Reports":

• Lifesource Manual Inflation BPM UA-702V, UA-702VL

• Lumiscope Semi-Automatic BPM 1060

However, these units have now been superseded by more advanced models from both LifeSource and Lumiscope. Other companies producing well-regarded manual monitors are Samsung and Mark of Fitness.

In November 2005 an Interesting report appeared in the Orlando Sentinel (no longer online), with a registered nurse testing various home blood pressure monitors: 

What I want: Accuracy. Automatic monitors are nice and convenient with automatic inflation and digital readouts, but the least expensive and most accurate is a manual device.

I must have: A cuff size that fits; too small will give a reading too high, too big will give a reading too low. The cuff on a manual monitor has a built-in stethoscope (not the best choice if you're hard of hearing, because you need to hear your heartbeat through the 'scope). A semiautomatic monitor provides a digital readout, but you have to inflate the cuff, while an automatic monitor is most popular because it does all the work for you -- but you pay for that convenience.

What I hate: Finger and wrist monitors are cute but not very accurate; a wrist cuff is too far from your heart, so the reading will be lower.

Savvy shopper: If you're buying a monitor on a recommendation from your doctor, check to see if your health insurance plan covers the cost. Also, monitors that connect to your PC can give you more information and even analyze the reading.
 
Her choice was a Samsung manual blood pressure monitor, costing $39.99 at Target. The “next best thing” was the Omron HEM-780, a fully automatic model.

* See the Newest Products and Get the Latest Prices on Manual Blood Pressure Monitors.

May 29th, 2007

Blood Pressure Resources

Reviews
LifeSource Blood Pressure Monitors
LifeSource UA-767 Auto-Inflate Blood Pressure Monitor
LifeSource UB-328 Wrist Auto Inflate Blood Pressure Monitor
Lumiscope Blood Pressure Monitors
Mark of Fitness Blood Pressure Monitors 
Mark of Fitness MF-81 Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor 
Omron HEM-432 Manual Blood Pressure Monitor
Omron HEM-711AC Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor
Omron HEM-711DLX Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor
Omron HEM-712C Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor
Omron HEM-773AC Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor
Omron HEM-780 Auto-Inflate Blood Pressure Monitor
Omron HEM-790IT Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor
Omron Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors
Panasonic Blood Pressure Monitors
Panasonic EW3111W Precise Logic Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor
RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
Samsung Blood Pressure Monitors
WrisTech Blood Pressure Monitor

Articles
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitors - An Introduction
Best Blood Pressure Monitors
Consumer Reports and Blood Pressure Monitors
Guide to Buying the Best Home Blood Pressure Monitor
Home Blood Pressure Monitors - Are They Accurate?
Home Blood Pressure Monitors – Selected Internet Resources
Manual Blood Pressure Monitors
Omron Blood Pressure Monitors - Why Are They So Popular?
Talking Blood Pressure Monitors
Technology Award for LifeSource Telemedicine Blood Pressure Monitors
Welch Allyn Blood Pressure Monitors
Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors - Should I Buy One?