It is incredibly important for every person to take care of their own he alth. This is especially true for the elderly. Many people keep blood pressure monitors at home, allowing them to measure pressure without going to the doctor. But how to check the tonometer if there is a suspicion of inaccuracy? This article will give advice on this.
Home blood pressure monitor
Electronic pressure measuring devices are very popular because they do not require any special skills, are easy to use, and are very inexpensive. Information about pressure is obtained immediately and without difficulty, people of all age categories can cope with this. Home blood pressure monitors are both mechanical and electronic - and, contrary to beliefs, electronic blood pressure monitors are often more accurate than mechanical ones, and even more convenient - pressure data is displayed on the screen immediately after the measurement is completed. However, as with any electronic device, they have failures and malfunctions. So what to do about it?
How to check the blood pressure monitor for accuracy?
Ifthere was a suspicion of inaccuracy of the tonometer, the first step is to make sure that it is used correctly. Very often, inadequately high or low pressure on the instrument readings can occur due to improper use. To avoid this, you need to check the charge level of the device. Ensure that the cuff is placed on the arm according to the instructions and remain calm during the measurement process.
Do not forget that it is worth taking measurements only when there are no distortions in your condition - before checking, you should not drink alcohol, caffeine and tinine, nicotine. These foods can raise or lower blood pressure for a short time. In addition, occasional pressure drops are possible, so it is always worth rechecking the readings some time after the first measurement.
Statistics compiled from thousands of calls to service centers claim that the vast majority of problems with blood pressure monitors are solely due to their incorrect use, so it is always worth double-checking the device by taking a control measurement exactly according to the instructions.
The blood pressure monitor fails - what to do?
If the device really shows inadequate numbers, although it is used according to the instructions and in a calm state, then it should be checked.
The best place to check your blood pressure monitor is a clinic, hospital or pharmacy. Many of them are equipped with special devices that simulate pressure, which, according to the specified parameters, will allow you to finddiscrepancy between the tonometer and real indicators. This method is the best and most reliable, because experts will check the device.
In addition, there they can calibrate it or give advice on proper use. However, it is not always possible to go outside and bring a blood pressure monitor to a pharmacy or clinic. Sometimes you need to act at home.
Reference blood pressure monitor
The most effective and easiest way to check the correctness of a blood pressure monitor is to compare it with another similar device, the accuracy of which is beyond doubt.
To do this, it is necessary to measure the pressure with two instruments at once in order to avoid inaccuracies that occur over time. Next, you need to compare the performance of the two devices and take a few more measurements. Based on this, it will always be possible to understand in which direction the indicators are changing and whether they are the same.
This approach allows you to check the tonometer without much effort and effort, and the accuracy is quite high - you can find not only large deviations, but also fix the smallest fluctuations. In addition, visually inspecting both devices, you can find any problem in one of the components of the tonometer.
What to do if the second blood pressure monitor is not at hand?
If there is no reference tonometer that can be used for verification, then the question of how to check a home tonometer becomes problematic. Some people try to count their heart rate on their own.hearing or tapping the rhythm of the heartbeat. Many people think that they can measure their pulse on their own, without the help of a tonometer. However, this approach is fundamentally wrong - self-calculation of heart rate is inaccurate and cannot be taken into account.
If there is no reference tonometer either in the house or with neighbors or acquaintances, you must definitely contact a clinic, hospital or pharmacy. There is also an option: just call the service center of the device manufacturer and hand it over for calibration. Of course, this will take some time. But there are simply no other options left.
In any case, an independent check of the tonometer at home is possible only with a reference tonometer. Therefore, if there is a risk of such a situation, it is better to purchase not one device, but two, using one of them as a reference.
Conclusions
Thus, an independent check of the tonometer at home, if there is only one device with obviously knocked down readings, is impossible. To check the tonometer yourself, you need a reference device, the accuracy of which is beyond doubt.
To be completely sure of the correct operation of the device, it is necessary to take it for calibration to a pharmacy, hospital or clinic, and do this at regular intervals. Then the tonometer will last a long time. It is important to always remember that most tonometer failures occur due to its incorrect use - after all, such devices are mostly reliable and accurate.
