Do you get nervous whenever your doctor checks your blood pressure? If that’s the case, and your blood pressure reading is higher then usual, then know that your anxiety might have affected the results. According to a study from the University of Oxford, patients who take their own blood pressure before seeing their doctor almost always get a more accurate result. So, having a blood pressure monitor at home might make more sense than going for a reading at the doctor’s.
Furthermore, checking your own blood pressure over time can assist you in tracking any changes. In fact, the practice of regularly measuring your BP levels can even save your life. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is by far the most common cause of cardiovascular disease, although it doesn’t always manifest itself.
However, with so many different types of home blood pressure monitors to choose from, how can you decide which one to get? Read on to learn why Omron devices are people’s favourite picks and which models are worth your money the most.
Why Omron?
For over 40 years, the brand has defined the route to a better life via research, industry-leading innovation, and proven education initiatives as an international corporation. Currently, the Omron blood pressure monitors are sold in over 110 countries. While its headquarters are located in Kyoto, Japan, the Omron BP monitor is the number 1 recommended brand by doctors and pharmacists worldwide as found by the Frost and Sullivan survey from 2019.
For blood pressure monitors, it’s not enough to just be advertised as accurate. It needs to be proven by an independent body. As a result, Omron has ensured that each model fulfils the highest precision and reliability criteria by conducting tests by several recognised standards organisations: The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instruments (AAMI), the European Society of Hypertension (ESH), and the British Hypertension Society.
These proofs of accuracy provide peace of mind not only for the people using the monitors, but also for their doctors, who can rest certain that their patients’ health is being monitored with the same accuracy as the medical instruments used in their exam rooms.
The Best Omron Monitors to Keep Track of Your Blood Pressure
Depending on your needs and the preferred way you want to check your BP, you can find an Omron blood pressure machine in both upper arm and wrist variety. You can also choose devices that come with extras like EKG management tools, Bluetooth connectivity, increased memory capacity and the ability to be connected to a smartphone app. Here are some of the most popular ones.
The Gold Upper Arm Monitor
According to user reviews, this Omron blood pressure machine has received glowing scores on the most critical attributes: ease of use, fit, and data presentation. It’s not only simple to fit and position on your arm, but it also provided highly clear and plain data in under a minute.
To set up the Omron Gold, just insert four AA batteries and connect the cuff to the monitor. This is a great multi-person monitor as it has cuff that can fit a variety of arm sizes. However, what’s most impressive about this device is how simple its instructions are. After you’ve wrapped the cuff around your arm, hit the start button and in about 30 seconds the screen will show your pressure and heart rate readings.
Overall, this monitor is perfect for taking it with you on the go and quick and simple readings. It also has a Bluetooth feature and comes with a carrying case.
The 3 Series Upper Arm Monitor
This blood pressure monitor offers all of the essential features while maintaining an affordable price. It’s ideal for people who want something simple. Users may easily assemble and test the device right out of the box, and the results are displayed in large letters that are easy to read. This makes it great for elderly people.
The cuff is comfortable and simple to put on, and the box includes detailed directions for wrapping the cuff around your arm properly. Because it isn’t a particularly sophisticated device, there isn’t much storage memory. The device only holds 14 readings — so if you need to monitor your blood pressure on a frequent basis, this isn’t the machine for you.
The 5 Series Upper Arm Wireless Monitor
This blood pressure monitor comes with a connected smartphone app and can offer more in-depth info on your blood pressure reading trends. This is perfect if you’re seeking a more thorough look while examining your blood pressure.
The Omron blood pressure cuff is simple to set up and connect to your arm, and it has a detailed guide on how to place it correctly for accurate results. Your data will appear in easy-to-read figures on the monitor and will automatically sync to the associated app once you’ve taken your reading, which can be done with the push of a single button.
The Omron 5 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor gives customers both simple readings on the device and a detailed analysis of their data on the Connect Omron app. The app will evaluate your data and determine whether your blood pressure is abnormal or within normal limits.
The Gold Series Wrist Monitor
For those who struggle using an upper arm machine, there’s the Omron Gold wrist monitor. It comes with an extended memory capacity which can save up to 200 total blood pressure measurements for two people. The Gold monitor is also compatible with Amazon Alexa-enabled devices when used with the free Omron Connect app.
The reason this wrist monitor is among the most popular ones on the market is the fact that it comes with the premium Omron feature – Heart Zone Guidance, which guides your wrist into the correct position (at heart level). The measurements can be made comfortably and discreetly thanks to the Ultra-Silent inflating feature.
While this monitor is backed by Omron’s Validated Device Listing criteria of accuracy, keep in mind that like all wrist monitors, how correct the readings will be will greatly depend on whether you use the monitor properly or not.