Home Blood Pressure Monitors: Do You Need It?

Home blood pressure monitors can be highly helpful to some individuals. For others, it is a good investment, but it may prove to be less helpful in the long term. First, note that anyone can benefit from the use of a blood pressure monitor especially if they are at risk for developing high or low blood pressure, or they have one of these conditions already. There are not symptoms of high blood pressure. Therefore, monitoring is really the only way to know if you have the condition.

For some, it is more important, though. Blood pressure monitors are especially helpful in the following situations:

1. If you are just starting blood pressure treatment, monitoring at home can help doctors adjust treatments to meet your needs.

2. If you are pregnant, the condition preeclampsia can develop quickly. Select an appropriate monitor.

3. If you need to monitor your blood pressure more often than doctor's visits can offer because of a health condition such as kidney disease, heart disease or diabetes, these monitors can be life saving.

4. If you are elderly, it is a good idea. Those who experience white coat hypertension (which worsens with age) may need to have this monitor.

5. Doctors may request the use of an at home blood pressure monitor to rule out white coat hypertension (where you have a high blood pressure reading at the doctor's office, but not at home.)

6. If you may have masked hypertension, where you have normal readings at the doctor's office, but high readings at home, this tool is a life saver.

Should Everyone Have It?

Not everyone is a good candidate for the use of at home blood pressure monitoring. Those who have atrial fibrillation or other arrhythmias may not be good candidates for this product. The devices may not be able to give a good reading. If you believe the at home monitor is not working properly, ask your doctor to compare these readings with those from the office.

Making The Decision

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