Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

As an anesthesiologist I check blood pressures all day long, so I definitely have some experience with blood pressure monitoring. There are a few important things to look for in an automatic BP monitor. First and foremost, it must be accurate. An inaccurate BP monitor is not just worthless, it's dangerous. Second, the cuff needs to be the correct size for your arm (this is part of accuracy). Even the most expensive BP monitor will give inaccurate readings if the cuff is too large or small for your arm. Finally, it should be easy to use, even without assistance. If checking your BP is a cumbersome process or one that always requires another person's help, you won't do it as often. The 5 Series BP monitor by Omron hits all of these requirements: 1) It is accurate, and better still, its readings are reproducible. I verified this by comparing the Omron's readings with blood pressures I took manually. 2) The D-ring cuff is appropriate for a very wide range of arm circumferences: from 9 to 17 inches (as measured midway between your elbow and your shoulder). (Omron does sell a smaller D-ring cuff for those with arms that are 7" to 9" in circumference.) 3) The D-ring cuff is MUCH easier to use when you are by yourself than standard BP cuffs. You just slip you arm through the cuff and pull it tight. 4) The numbers on the screen are large and very easy to read. To me this 5 Series BP monitor hits the sweet spot of having everything you need in a quality monitor while staying at a good price point. The 3 Series stores far fewer readings than the 5 Series (14 vs. 100), and when you get to the 7 Series and above you are paying for features that are not really "essential" (in my opinion, anyway!). A few tips for getting accurate readings from this monitor: - Keep your arm as still as possible while the monitor is taking a reading -- movement can cause erroneous readings - Rest your arm on a horizontal surface - Make sure the tube coming from the cuff runs down the center of your arm (the inside of your elbow) because that is where the "bladder" of the cuff is. If this part of the cuff gets rotated around to the back of your arm, you won't get good readings. - Don't let the cuff slip down your arm; you don't want it over your elbow. Not only could this affect your readings, but repeated measurements with the cuff over your elbow could cause injury to your ulnar nerve. Hope this helps!