How to choose a tonometer for home use: the main types and criteria

With worsening of well-being, one of the methods of health control available in everyday life is pressure measurement.

People with unstable pressure need to have a home measuring device, but do not think that the rest does not concern.

"Skank" the pressure can, at any time, even a healthy person, and if you do not react in time, the consequences can be very deplorable.

Types of devices: what is the best

Before choosing a tonometer for home use,determine the nuances:

• the presence of specific diseases - this will determine the frequency of use of the device and its adaptation to the disease;
• the ability to learn how to use an apparatus of a particular type;
• value.

There are three types of tonometers on the attachment:

• on the finger;
• on the wrist;
• on the shoulder above the elbow fold.

Two types of are designed:

• mechanical;
• electronic, divided into semi-automatic and automatic devices.

It consists of a cuff that is worn over the shoulder above the elbow fold and attached to it by a thin rubber pear hose for manual air injection. A mechanical manometer is also attached to the device, along which indicators are monitored. The kit includes a phonendoscope ( for listening to heart tones).It can be separate or the membrane of the device is built into the cuff at the level of the elbow fold.

Semi-automatic tonometer consists of a cuff, a rubber pear and an electronic display attached to the device. He does not need a phonendoscope. The air will have to be pumped by hand, and the device produces the measurements independently and displays them on a small screen.

The automatic tonometer needs only to be correctly positioned on the body and to press the button of the attached device in the form of a small box with an electronic display.

Everything else he will do himself - the built-in compressor pumps the air, measures the pressure and( depending on the brand and model) can still calculate the pulse and recall for comparison the previous measurements stored in his memory. The indicators are displayed on the electronic display.

Automatic products can be attached to the shoulder, wrist or finger, although the is not to be taken seriously as the latest version - modern technology does not allow accurate measurement of pressure on the vessels of the finger. So far, this version of gadgets is only a funny thing.

This video tells in detail about why you need to buy such a device, and about its types:

Choice for home: what to look for

You need to buy the product either in the pharmacy or in a specialized medical equipment store. It is necessary to check the for the availability of the operating instructions in Russian, the verification marks for .At the time of sale, the warranty card must bear a stamp. It is better to immediately ask what the algorithm will be to replace the device, if suddenly a malfunction is found in it.

Pay attention to build quality: all parts must be well matched to each other, the battery compartment in case of semi-automatic or automatic versions should open well and close tightly.

Many electronic models are equipped with additional functions, starting with the built-in clock and calendar and ending with intelligent analyzers, avoiding the strong squeezing of the hand and accompanying pain sensations, analyzing the results of several last measurements that combine a tonometer with a printer to print the results.

Cuffs - sizes for children and adults

To use the tonometer conveniently, you need to choose the right cuff size. The main criterion here is the shoulder circumference :

• For mechanical devices for the shoulder, cuffs of the following measuring ranges( in cm) are available: 7-12, 11-19, 18-26, 25-40, 34-51.Measurements on the thigh are carried out by a cuff designed for a girth of 40-66 cm.
• Electronic devices can be equipped with a cuff of the following sizes( in cm): 15-22( children's version), 22-32, 32-42.If necessary, you can also purchase a cuff of a different length. The cuff in the wrist device is 13-20 cm long.

Which device is the most accurate and what is better to choose for the house, says E. Malysheva and her colleagues:

Advantages and Disadvantages of

Each device has its pros and cons. Here is the comparative list for mechanical devices:

Electronic tonometers also have their positive and negative moments in operation.

What are famous and what are the disadvantages of semi-automatic devices :

Than good and bad automatic devices :

• visual display of results;
• simplicity and convenience of use - there is no need to pump up air and listen to the heart;
• variety of models with the presence of additional functions - the ability to choose an option that is suitable in many ways;
• possibility to purchase several more cuffs of different sizes and use the product by the whole family.

• requires periodic replacement of batteries and it is desirable that the spare parts are always at home, otherwise during a period of poor health you may find that the device does not want to measure pressure or produces distorted results;
• if you purchase a model with a battery, the cost will increase significantly.

Concerning wrist devices :

The rules for selecting an electronic device are described in this video:

Nuances of using

The accuracy and stability of the result depends on a number of factors:

• Not all devices allow multiple measurements to be made in a row .If the passport does not specify otherwise, the interval between measurements should be about half an hour, at the extreme - 20 minutes, and the cuff should be removed so that the vessels can fully restore elasticity.
• Any device can give an error, which for tonometers is allowed within 3 mm Hg.for pressure and 5 units for the pulse.
• Knocking down the correctness of the readings can be a conversation during the measurement, extraneous sounds causing a start, an incorrect cuff location or several measurements in a row.

The advantage of mechanical is the low price and high accuracy of measurement, a disadvantage - it is inconvenient to use for people with reduced hearing. Elderly people, self-monitoring pressure, an automatic device with a cuff on the shoulder is suitable - the automatic system allows you not to apply force to inflate the cuff.

It is necessary to take into account the presence of diseases: after a heart attack, a stroke or in the presence of arrhythmia, the device must be equipped with the intellectual sensitivity function - the Intellsense system.