Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors - Should I Buy One?

 

Wrist blood pressure monitors are very convenient. In the words of the Omron website:

Wrist blood pressure monitors are portable, accurate and simple to use. They provide a convenient choice for those who want a second unit for away from home or who have trouble placing a cuff on their arm.

Consumer Reports in June 2003 reviewed blood pressure monitors. According to the Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter, in a newssheet "Home Blood Pressure Monitors" (pdf file), one automatic wrist unit was "rated most highly by Consumer Reports", the Omron HEM-637 (picture).

Check the customer reviews at sales sites such as Amazon.com, and you will find numerous favorable recommendations.

But not every source recommends wrist blood pressure monitors. Here is Choice magazine, the Australian equivalent of Consumer Reports:

Most arm models measured blood pressure within their claimed accuracy. However, all but one [an Omron unit] of the wrist monitors were much less accurate, and we can’t recommend them.

According to Familydoctor.org:

Tests have shown that finger/wrist devices do not measure blood pressure very accurately. They are extremely sensitive to position and body temperature, and are more expensive (more than $100) than other monitors.

Omron says about its wrist monitors:

Correct cuff positioning is critical when monitoring blood pressure. Only Omron wrist blood pressure monitors with APS [Advanced Positioning Sensor] have a unique positioning sensor that automatically confirms the cuff is level with the user's heart. This helps ensure that each and every reading is accurate.

The company's four wrist monitors are:

* Omron HEM-609 Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor

* Omron HEM-629 Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor

* Omron HEM-637 Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor

* Omron HEM-650 Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor

Click to read more about Omron wrist blood pressure monitors.

Mark of Fitness is another popular manufacturer of wrist monitors. Its MF-81 Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor and MF-83 Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor are among the market's top sellers.

Other companies producing well-regarded wrist monitors are LifeSource, Lumiscope, Panasonic and Samsung. A popular, cheap model comes from WrisTech.

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

May 28th, 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?