Page 2 of 2

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 7:04pm
by boliston
omron rs2 (hem-6121-e) seems to work quite well - it's a wrist monitor so quite easy to use, just make sure you keep it level with your heart when doing a reading - been using it about 3 months now - i normally try and and do readings at different times of day eg waking up, after breakfast, before supper, after supper as it can vary a lot during the day - it's normally much lower 1st thing in the morning i find eg 105/65 usually compared with 115/75-145/90 typically at other times - smoking seems to temporarily push it up for example, or a particularly stressful day

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 7:22pm
by Bonefishblues
That lower reading first thing in the morning is why it's not advised to take a reading first thing :D

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 10:17pm
by doxfords
Ensure that you don't have a caffeinated drink such as coffee within a couple of hours prior to taking a B.P. reading, as this will give a false, high reading.

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 11 Jan 2019, 11:45pm
by Tangled Metal
Good to hear that. Explains my reading where the higher reading was 3 inside the normal range but the lower reading was 1 outside into zone 1 hypertension.

Most of my readings have been taken after coffee. I think I drink too much coffee come to think of it.

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 12 Jan 2019, 2:44pm
by Cours
Tangled Metal wrote:Good to hear that. Explains my reading where the higher reading was 3 inside the normal range but the lower reading was 1 outside into zone 1 hypertension.

Most of my readings have been taken after coffee. I think I drink too much coffee come to think of it.


According to the literature the best tine to check your BP is 3pm in the afternoon. It's when your pressure is best regulated and at its daily 'norm', before your main meal of the day.

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 12 Jan 2019, 8:06pm
by softlips
Cours wrote:
Tangled Metal wrote:Good to hear that. Explains my reading where the higher reading was 3 inside the normal range but the lower reading was 1 outside into zone 1 hypertension.

Most of my readings have been taken after coffee. I think I drink too much coffee come to think of it.


According to the literature the best tine to check your BP is 3pm in the afternoon. It's when your pressure is best regulated and at its daily 'norm', before your main meal of the day.


Not seen that in the NICE guidelines or in over 30 years of working in cardiology.

You should take it at various times during the day, always after being sat down at least five minutes. I’ve never known coffee significantly elevate BP.

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 12 Jan 2019, 8:30pm
by Bonefishblues
A Google search suggests that the NHS advises limiting intake to avoid elevating blood pressure. Similarly the Mayo Clinic links it with short term spikes.

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 12 Jan 2019, 9:48pm
by softlips
Bonefishblues wrote:A Google search suggests that the NHS advises limiting intake to avoid elevating blood pressure. Similarly the Mayo Clinic links it with short term spikes.


They do, but it makes almost no difference to me or indeed the patients I’ve tried before and after readings.

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 13 Jan 2019, 12:08am
by boliston
doxfords wrote:Ensure that you don't have a caffeinated drink such as coffee within a couple of hours prior to taking a B.P. reading, as this will give a false, high reading.


I'm not sure I would describe it as a 'false' reading if coffee has an effect on blood pressure - if something has an effect on my blood pressure then to me it's useful to be able to record that effect

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 13 Jan 2019, 9:12am
by Bonefishblues
boliston wrote:
doxfords wrote:Ensure that you don't have a caffeinated drink such as coffee within a couple of hours prior to taking a B.P. reading, as this will give a false, high reading.


I'm not sure I would describe it as a 'false' reading if coffee has an effect on blood pressure - if something has an effect on my blood pressure then to me it's useful to be able to record that effect

You'd want to be taking readings at 5 minute intervals throughout your day them :D

Re: Blood Pressure Monitors

Posted: 30 Jan 2019, 12:32pm
by ket
Got a standard Omron unit a week ago (especially as Boots were having an offer on them at moment). Very pleased with it, easy to use.
Thanks for all the advise & suggestions.