The BP Kit Test

Ah, the catch-22 of variety. When it comes to monitoring your high blood pressure at home, the options seem endless. Options are wonderful, but with variety comes the responsibility to be a discriminating consumer. According to Consumer Reports, not all home high blood pressure monitoring kits are equal in accuracy. Sixteen different home blood pressure monitors and 14 glucose meters were tested and the study found “big differences in accuracy and consistency.” While none of the monitors were terrible, some were better than others.

The study found that:

* Automatic upper-arm cuff blood pressure monitors tend to give better readings than wrist monitors.
* Higher prices did not necessarily correlate to higher accuracy.
* Wal-Mart had many of the best performing, least expensive models.

The most accurate home blood pressure monitoring devices (as rated by Consumer Reports) were:

* Omron’s Women’s Advanced Elite 7300W - $100
* CVS by Microlife Delux Advanced 344534 - $90
* Omron’s HEM-711AC - $90
* ReliOn HEM-741CREL from Wal-Mart - $40

Do you regularly monitor your high blood pressure at home? What device do you use and are you happy with it? [WebMD]