IMPORTANCE OF CUFF USAGE IN HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING
Home blood pressure monitoring is most suited to hypertensive patients who wish to contribute to their own health management. Correct measurements are affected by the device and the patient’s use of the cuff. Many patients use the cuff incorrectly. Incorrect measurements can lead to patients’ anxiety, with doctors spending extra time on unnecessary office visits.
Home blood pressure monitoring is highly recommended by leading hypertension and cardiovascular specialists. It should become a routine component of blood pressure monitoring in the majority of patients with known or suspected hypertension. It has the potential to improve the quality of care while reducing costs, and its use is also recommended for white-coat or masked hypertension.
Incorrect home blood pressure monitoring readings can have serious consequences. Evidence in literature reinforces the consequences of incorrect blood pressure measurements. Overestimating true blood pressure by 5 mm Hg would lead to inappropriate treatment with antihypertension medications, with the attendant’s exposure to adverse drug effects, the psychological effects of misdiagnosis, and unnecessary costs.
Underestimating the true blood pressure by 5 mm Hg would mislabel people with prehypertension when true hypertension is present. It has been predicted that the consequences of an untreated 5 mm Hg of excessive systolic blood pressure would be a 25 per cent increase over current levels of fatal strokes and fatal myocardial infarctions for these individuals.
CUFF POSITIONING MATTERS
The conditions under which home blood pressure monitoring is performed can greatly affect the measured blood pressure levels. The European Society of Hypertension Practice Guidelines for home blood pressure monitoring recommend that the cuff should be wrapped around the upper arm with its inflatable bladder centered on the arm’s anterior surface (most cuffs have an indication of proper placement) with the lower edge of the cuff approximately 2 – 3cm above the bend of the elbow.
ISSUE: 1 out of 3 people measure blood pressure incorrectly
Regular cuffs can cause inaccurate results when positioned incorrectly. Research has shown that 1 out of 3 people measure their blood pressure incorrectly due to incorrect placing of the cuff. Regular cuffs have only a small zone where accurate measurement is possible, so they must be placed in a specific position over the artery. If the cuff is not placed correctly, patients can see inaccurate or variable results. Wrong placement of the cuff can lead to incorrect measurements of the blood pressure levels.
SOLUTION: OMRON M7 Intelli IT, which is OMRON’s latest bluetooth connected automatic blood pressure monitor, comes with the unique Intelli Wrap Cuff technology and gives 360 degrees accuracy with accurate results in any position around the upper arm. It detects and highlights potential atrial fibrillation (AFib), an often undetected condition which can lead to a higher risk for stroke and embolism.
The product also brings a new connected solution — OMRON connect. It provides easy display of device measurements, history graphs and averages, makes it easy to view, save, and share personal health data per email or with other apps, like Apple Health. The benefits of connected blood pressure devices and data sharing with doctors can help improve therapy compliance. Smartphone apps are an increasing need in the home blood pressure monitoring market and here, patients will especially have a better understanding of their blood pressure, as their measurements will be shown as easy-to-read graphs of the OMRON connect app available for both IOS and android.
