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home blood pressure monitors

M

mizzou

Diamond Member
these are really cool. I always felt "anxious" at the doctor's office, and my high blood pressure showed it. I have significantly lower BP while at home.

A cool machine everyone should own!
 
They're not really that accurate, and depending on what you have, it might require regular maintenance or calibration.

Maybe that's part of the reason why you get a lower BP at home?
 
Mr. Pedantic said:
They're not really that accurate, and depending on what you have, it might require regular maintenance or calibration.

Maybe that's part of the reason why you get a lower BP at home?
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^^

In my experience, home monitors are recommended more for making sure you aren't redlining\at risk of an imminent cardiac event of some sort than for getting a perfectly accurate readout.

Is there a huge difference between the readings? Hypertension vs non, for example? Using approximately the same size cuff, etc?
 
The anxious feeling is well known as the white coat syndrome. The new digital monitors are easy to use and accurate.
 
I have had both of my digital meters tested by my doctor. The manual one (has a bulb) is twenty years old, and still within 1 or 2 points of my doctors, the automatic one is about 8 years old and is just as accurate. No calibrating required or possible.
 
Mr. Pedantic said:
They're not really that accurate, and depending on what you have, it might require regular maintenance or calibration.

Maybe that's part of the reason why you get a lower BP at home?
Click to expand...

Usually most major home blood pressure machines are very accurate. User error would be the only reason for inaccuracy.
 
Well my text boom guru, I have been living this for almost thirty years. The latest digital a extremely accurate to the best mercury units I have encountered and I has a serious issue to monitor (BP in the 175/125 range), keep reading bro.
 
alkemyst said:
Well my text boom guru, I have been living this for almost thirty years. The latest digital a extremely accurate to the best mercury units I have encountered and I has a serious issue to monitor (BP in the 175/125 range), keep reading bro.
Click to expand...

On no scale is anecdotal evidence more powerful than structured, random controlled trials. You may think it is, but you'd be wrong.
 
SociallyChallenged said:
Lmao. I love how the pursuit of proper science equals Hitler. I think now you're just making my point for me.
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Personally, I find my own ancedotal evidence > than any medical study.

There are a lot of rarities that medicine can't explain and sadly there are a TON of both piss-poor doctors and researchers. Many doctors are no more trained how to use a non-mercury blood pressure machine than the average person. Most fail to read the directions even.

In my own body, doctors cannot explain why I want to hover around 225-235lbs even if I starve myself into illness. It doesn't make sense. My body spares my fat reserves and goes for it's organs and muscles.

I hit the gym and losing even a pound+ day has been possible.
 
All I can say is anyone who is arguing against SociallyChallenged's evidence is an idiot. If you use one, bring it to the doctor with you and have them compare. Some are accurate, some are wildly off (like 30 points).
 
interchange said:
All I can say is anyone who is arguing against SociallyChallenged's evidence is an idiot. If you use one, bring it to the doctor with you and have them compare. Some are accurate, some are wildly off (like 30 points).
Click to expand...

I am more than willing to bet I have more experience that SC. And umm bro, you really didn't think I'd take the meter I bought and do a comparison in the office with my blood pressure being that high? They wanted to admit me to the hospital over it. My meter (An omron that came highly rated from a high blood pressure board) was pretty much reading what their wall unit was. The only problem they worried about is as I put on more mass they didn't think the cuff size would prove accurate. My arms a nearly a fat-free 16" unflexed.

It ended up being a combination of a sodium inbalance, stress/inactivity from my injury, and more than likely some other minor things related to it.

within a few weeks I got it back down to the 120/70 range with a few times dipping even lower. I haven't bothered checking it in about 8 weeks now...but I probably will tomorrow.

He is great for the text book answers. However, us that do this stuff know that really is only good for some of the folks.

It's like making claims the BMI method of wieght is somehow realistic for an athlete.
 
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alkemyst said:
Personally, I find my own ancedotal evidence > than any medical study.

There are a lot of rarities that medicine can't explain and sadly there are a TON of both piss-poor doctors and researchers. Many doctors are no more trained how to use a non-mercury blood pressure machine than the average person. Most fail to read the directions even.

In my own body, doctors cannot explain why I want to hover around 225-235lbs even if I starve myself into illness. It doesn't make sense. My body spares my fat reserves and goes for it's organs and muscles.

I hit the gym and losing even a pound+ day has been possible.
Click to expand...

You're right - there are a lot of things that medicine can't explain, but even with the things scientific research CAN explain (i.e. automated BP cuffs are inaccurate), you like to deny.

Maybe it's those 20-30 beers you pack down in a weekend? Your condition isn't terribly nebulous to those who know your lifestyle.
 
SociallyChallenged said:
You're right - there are a lot of things that medicine can't explain, but even with the things scientific research CAN explain (i.e. automated BP cuffs are inaccurate), you like to deny.

Maybe it's those 20-30 beers you pack down in a weekend? Your condition isn't terribly nebulous to those who know your lifestyle.
Click to expand...

Actually it's closer to 50, but my blood work is just about perfect now. I have been getting it done every 8 weeks. Beer is my only vice and I am sticking with Mich Ultras which are extremely 'light'.

I am the guy that redefines the laws of nature.
 
alkemyst said:
I am more than willing to bet I have more experience that SC. And umm bro, you really didn't think I'd take the meter I bought and do a comparison in the office with my blood pressure being that high? They wanted to admit me to the hospital over it. My meter (An omron that came highly rated from a high blood pressure board) was pretty much reading what their wall unit was. The only problem they worried about is as I put on more mass they didn't think the cuff size would prove accurate. My arms a nearly a fat-free 16" unflexed.

It ended up being a combination of a sodium inbalance, stress/inactivity from my injury, and more than likely some other minor things related to it.

within a few weeks I got it back down to the 120/70 range with a few times dipping even lower. I haven't bothered checking it in about 8 weeks now...but I probably will tomorrow.

He is great for the text book answers. However, us that do this stuff know that really is only good for some of the folks.

It's like making claims the BMI method of wieght is somehow realistic for an athlete.
Click to expand...

...Or, as science has already figured out and corrected for, there are ways to look into those things with randomized controlled trials... For example:

Use BMI cautiously with athletes
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17473765

BMI modification for use in athletes
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20544485

BMI comparison to skin fold measurements
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15800563

If you understood the scientific process, you'd realize that when people realize that certain things don't work, research gets done on that. You have this feeling that somehow a couple decades on non-acaemic and highly specialized (to you) info somehow means that it's a certain way for everybody else. But I'd trust physicians, PhDs, clinical professionals who many times have your timeline of experience, academic experience, clinical experience with thousands of patients, and randomized controlled trials to back it up. When you compare the experience of you and your friends over 30 years and compared it to thousands of clinicians who have studied health for 5-40 years each in addition to practicing 8-12h, 5 days a week, while seeing hundreds of thousands of patients combined, in addition to reading and completing research... You are the little fish in the pond.
 
You just dun failed to realize one of the reasons I was supposed to be a doctor is much of my family is made up of them.

I am a big fish in any pond, feel me.
 
alkemyst said:
You just dun failed to realize one of the reasons I was supposed to be a doctor is much of my family is made up of them.

I am a big fish in any pond, feel me.
Click to expand...

The success of others around you does not constitute your own success. Nor does it make you the equivalent of a doctor. Even doctors that deny scientific research are frowned upon and joked about in the medical community.
 
SociallyChallenged said:
The success of others around you does not constitute your own success. Nor does it make you the equivalent of a doctor. Even doctors that deny scientific research are frowned upon and joked about in the medical community.
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sigh...I happened to do a lot of my own research into things I was interested and bounced much of it off of them.

Some didn't agree with things I was on like Creatine...some did.

No one is denying scientific research, but like any research it's easy to manipulate.
 
alkemyst said:
sigh...I happened to do a lot of my own research into things I was interested and bounced much of it off of them.

Some didn't agree with things I was on like Creatine...some did.

No one is denying scientific research, but like any research it's easy to manipulate.
Click to expand...

That's why there are things you do to assure quality. You assess methods. If they're not appropriate, the results aren't valid. You also take the sum of what research shows. That means, one article doesn't mean anything without other articles. Most of the time, people will use 10-15 articles to support one point academically. The thing is that I don't think you understand the rigor with which research is tested. There are certain journals that are lower quality and you learn that very quickly. Considering there are hundreds of article showing creatine is effective, it's a valid thing to use. However, there is early research out there showing that it increases bad compounds in the kidneys and may have an effect on hair loss. The latter isn't well researched and there isn't a whole lot of good backing so all we know is that creatine is an effective supplement. You take the risks into mind, but you weight the pros and cons. That's how you assess research.
 
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PharmD is not the same as MD/DO. Sorry

Also, blood work is subjective. CBC? LFT? ABG? Diffs? Your CBC shouldn't change too much even with all the shit you take, LFT/Chem12/Lipids who knows.

I severely doubt your insurance would pay for a full blood workup every 8 weeks for no reason.

Its generally regarded that there are different grades of the computerized machines. The ones at walmart suck, the Welch-Allyn ones we have are dead on accurate (they are also 1k a pop).

They are only really used for a baseline screen, any cardiologist worth their own shit will use a scope/cuff.
 
PhoKingGuy said:
PharmD is not the same as MD/DO. Sorry

Also, blood work is subjective. CBC? LFT? ABG? Diffs? Your CBC shouldn't change too much even with all the shit you take, LFT/Chem12/Lipids who knows.

I severely doubt your insurance would pay for a full blood workup every 8 weeks for no reason.

Its generally regarded that there are different grades of the computerized machines. The ones at walmart suck, the Welch-Allyn ones we have are dead on accurate (they are also 1k a pop).

They are only really used for a baseline screen, any cardiologist worth their own shit will use a scope/cuff.
Click to expand...

My original goal was to become a doctor, not a pharmacist.

My insurance has no problem covering my blood work every 8 weeks.

I don't shop at walmart.

I really am not sure why so many are trying to make taking a simple blood pressure reading some kind of major surgery. Seriously, do you guys complicate everything to justify something missing in your lives?
 
alkemyst said:
My original goal was to become a doctor, not a pharmacist.

My insurance has no problem covering my blood work every 8 weeks.

I don't shop at walmart.

I really am not sure why so many are trying to make taking a simple blood pressure reading some kind of major surgery. Seriously, do you guys complicate everything to justify something missing in your lives?
Click to expand...

Different docs will use whatever works, your FP/GP will be fine with the computerized one. If you have a cardiologist that uses one though run away very quickly. There's much more to just a BP if you want to listen for it.
 
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