Bp Machines: Digital Vs. Manual Posted: 01-06-05 08:20am
About a year ago, I had high blood
pressure (i think about 140/100) and my
doctor put me on a low dosage of a drug.
I bought a digital machine for measuring
my bp at home and was pretty happy when
the numbers fell to about an average of
120/70.
A few months later, I had my bp checked at
a clinic and was surprised to find that it
was back to 140/100. They mentioned
white-coat hypertension. But later, I
decided to purchase a manual machine (the
kind you listen with and watch a dial) and
that machine measures 140/90 under
conditions in which the digital machine
measures 120/70. Interestingly, when my
doctor uses a digital machine he also
measures lower bps around 130/80.
Are digital machines usually low biased
with bp?
Also, if my medicine isnt really lowering
my bp, what are some other ways to lower
bp?
I am 21, weigh about 150lbs (5'10''), run
or bike and lift weights nearly everyday
(but am pretty sedentary when not
exercising) and my last blood tests were
all normal (except for a slight elevation
in a hormone called aldosterone?).
Thank you for any responses on either
question.
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happy_sunshine_yan
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 94 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada
Posted: 05-08-05 20:33pm
Manual bp machines are more accurate..
Because digital is just a machine that
does the work, they do not have enough
information programmed into them.... Did
u listen/read instructions on the package
of digital machine? Cuz some saids u must
not move/talk or must have ur arm at heart
level and have machine a little below
heart level...
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dane211
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 124
Both Used. Posted: 05-26-05 12:26pm
I use both and the manual is much more
reliable. But the auto is useally on
target too, but has at times read low when
I it was much higher with the manual one.
I chocked it up to the way I must have put
the cuff on. So I use the auto for a
quick check but use the manual at least
once a week to be sure.
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navioet
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Aug 2005 Posts: 4 Location: Singapore
Posted: 09-05-05 01:19am
Hi,
i learnt from a doctor friend that the
manual one is more accurate than the
digital one. This is because the digital
one is calibrated and has to be calibrated
regularly to maintain its accuracy!
