Hypertension has become one of the leading causes of heart attacks as well as other cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, patients who constantly suffer from high blood pressure need to be monitored continuously to identify the fluctuations in their blood pressure. For this purpose, both home as well as professional blood pressure monitors can be employed. But do they both provide comparable accuracy of results? If so, what are the features these blood pressure monitors differ on? Let us find out the answers to these questions by doing a comparison of home vs. professional blood pressure monitors.
Home Blood Pressure Monitors
Home blood pressure monitoring devices (HBPM) are one of the self-monitoring tools that are considered essential for patient care. Apart from assisting in the measurement of blood pressure frequently, these home monitors serve many other functions as well. These products are lightweight and portable and are easy to use by the patients. As per the American Heart Association (AHA), the home-based blood pressure monitoring systems are suitable for the following:
● Patients with hypertension and cardiac disorders
● Patients with blood pressure medications
● Diabetics
● Elderly
● Pregnant women
Advantages of Home Blood Pressure Monitors
The home blood pressure monitors provide the following advantages:
● With home-based blood pressure monitors, it is possible to take multiple readings over a particular time period.
● The blood pressure readings taken from the home blood pressure devices are much more stable and reproducible.
● These devices offer improved blood pressure control by easily detecting BP variability.
● The White Coat Hypertension as well as masked hypertension can be easily diagnosed and eliminated when the patients take their values in home settings.
● In addition, the patients using these blood pressure monitors at home also tend to become more aware of their hypertensive state as well as its management.
Disadvantages of Home Blood Pressure Monitors
With home blood pressure monitors, the following limitations have been observed:
● Some home BP monitors can be inaccurate. In such cases, the patient keeps on using the same device as there is no available method to calibrate it.
● The placement of the cuff, if done improperly, can lead to reading inaccuracy. To fix this error, newer home blood pressure monitors come with Intelli wrap cuffs which tend to wrap all the arm upon inflation. This way, the pressure on the brachial artery is managed and thus falls into the acceptable range.
● As in most cases, the patients have their own blood pressure readings without the assistance of a caregiver, it is not possible to take nocturnal readings.
● The patients may also feel anxiety and stress while taking their blood pressure which can lead to inaccurate readings.
● Some patients might also self-adjust their medication dose based on their readings, a practice that adds to the demerits of blood pressure monitors.
Professional Blood Pressure Monitors
Professional blood pressure monitors are the devices that are used in healthcare facilities including hospitals, clinics, as well as in pharmacies. These are different from home blood pressure monitors in terms of their accuracy, weight, and portability.
Advantages of Professional Blood Pressure Monitors
The professional blood pressure monitors come with the following advantageous features:
● In terms of taking accurate and reliable readings, professional blood pressure monitors are considered a ‘gold standard’.
● The data obtained by professional blood pressure monitors is helpful in the estimation of cardiovascular diseases.
● These monitoring systems are the first choice for running clinical trials on blood pressure patients.
● These blood pressure devices are readily available in the market.
Disadvantages of Professional Blood Pressure Monitors
Some of the disadvantages of the professional blood pressure monitors are as follows:
● While taking readings with professional blood pressure monitors, the chances of an overestimation of blood pressure are high.
● When it comes to variations in the data, professional BP monitors are not considered reliable.
● The reproducibility of the results is poor.
● The diagnostic accuracy of the device is poor when it comes to a single-visit blood pressure measurement.
Comparison of Home vs. Professional Blood Pressure Monitors
Several studies have explored whether the accuracy of home blood pressure monitors is comparable to professional ones. Research published in the American Journal of Hypertension (AJH) examined multiple home-based automatic self-measured blood pressure monitors to assess their reliability.
In the study, 152 patients had their blood pressure monitored using various home BP monitoring devices. These findings were then compared against the accuracy test tool presented by the American Medical Association (AMA).
The results revealed that nearly one-fifth of these home vs. professional blood pressure monitors were not as accurate as required for hypertensive patients. This indicates that the performance of home vs. professional blood pressure monitors typically does not match that of professional devices.
Below is a table that outlines some of the fundamental differences between home vs. professional blood pressure monitors:
| Parameters | Home Blood Pressure Monitors | Professional Blood Pressure Monitors |
| Intended Usage Setting | Home settings | Doctor’s office and other clinical settings |
| Clinical Validation | ✔ | ✔ |
| Cuff Size | Moderate to large | Large to suit all age groups |
| Monitoring Frequency | Can be set by the patient or recommended by the physician | Based on the number of hospital visits |
| Result Reproducibility | Good | Poor |
| Chances of Variations | Low | High |
| Suitability for Clinical Trials | ✔ | ✔ |
Blood Pressure Monitors: Types, Brands, and Specifications
Multiple blood pressure devices have been introduced in the US markets which differ in their features and functions. One has to choose a device based on the needs and the setting in which it has to be used. Some of these professional and home blood pressure monitors have been enlisted below along with their features:
● Home Blood Pressure Monitors
BP785 Omron 10 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor
BP785 Omron 10 series includes the advanced upper arm blood pressure monitors which are known for their one-button operation. The large display screen is also back-lit which enables the user to visualize the readings without any difficulty. The AC adapters come with the device as power recharge options.
In addition to the usual analysis of blood pressure, the Omron 10 series is also capable of detection and measurement of irregular heartbeats. Overall, the product is ideal for use as a home monitor for measuring diastolic and systolic blood pressure and also comes with a carrying case.
Home1829 Home Aide Talking Sense Blood Pressure Monitor
Home Aide talking sense blood pressure monitors have extra-large blood pressure cuffs in addition to a voice guidance system that instructs the user when the device is being employed.
Moreover, the inflation-deflation system of the cuff is controlled automatically which renders the product suitable for use in home settings. Its irregular heartbeat indicator alerts the user as soon as the abnormal heart rhythm is detected.
The display system is also large and easy to read. In addition, the device can also store the blood pressure readings for future use.
ETUPARM Easy Touch Sure Life Upper Arm Blood Pressure
ETUPARM Easy Touch Sure Life upper arm blood pressure monitor is an automatic product that can be easily operated by users with limited dexterity. The cuff has a circumference of 8.6” to 16.5” which makes it suitable for patients of all age groups. The device also has a memory for storage of up to 90 readings and can be used for two users at one time.
In addition to blood pressure measurements, the Easy Touch Sure Life system is also suitable for taking pulse rate measurements. The product is also lightweight and easy to carry.
EASCHARM Home Aide Health Sense Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor
EASCHARM Home Aide Health Sense upper arm blood pressure monitor comes with cuffs with a circumference of 8.6” to 14.2”. The voice instruction feature makes it ideal for those who need guidance regarding the blood pressure measurement process. In addition to the above-mentioned features, the device can be employed to measure the blood pressure of two users.
ADVOCBPWRIST Advocate Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor
ADVOCBPWRIST Advocate wrist blood pressure monitor is an automatic device with a one-button operation. The wrist cuff is easy to inflate and deflate for the accurate measurement of blood pressure readings. In addition, the display system is easy to read and comprehend which makes it suitable for the elderly as well as patients with poor vision.
Two users can employ the device at one time. The Advocate wrist system also has an irregular heartbeat detector and can be connected to the Advocate app via Bluetooth.
ETWRIST Easy Touch Sure Life Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor
ETWRIST Easy Touch Sure Life wrist blood pressure monitor is a comfortable blood pressure monitor employed for taking accurate readings. Usage suitability is for two users at a time and the device can store up to 99 memories. Like most wrist monitors, the irregular heartbeat detector is present. This wrist BP monitor also has a backlit display for convenient usage.
Home Aide Heart Check Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor
Home Aide Heart Check wrist high blood pressure monitor has all the features that have been discussed in the above section. In addition, the device is capable of measuring accurate readings with a data storage option for a single user. Memory of the system is up to 90 readings. The Home Aide wrist monitor indicates the patient’s heart health by its irregular heartbeat detection feature.
● Professional Blood Pressure Monitors
Professional Intellisense Blood Pressure Monitor HEM-907XL
Professional Intellisense blood pressure monitor is a product of Omron. The device has been specially designed by keeping in mind the requirements for a blood pressure monitor in professional settings including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, as well as in a physician’s office. The product is trusted by doctors and other medical professionals owing to its accurate results and easy operation process. Moreover, the Omron Professional Intellisense BP monitor has also been clinically validated.
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Conclusion
Blood pressure monitors are essential for a significant portion of the US population who manage high blood pressure or cardiac disorders daily. Various types of BP monitors are available, including manual sphygmomanometers, home blood pressure monitors, and professional devices suitable for clinical use. Despite all serving the same purpose of measuring blood pressure, these systems differ significantly, primarily due to their accuracy levels.
When comparing home vs. professional blood pressure monitors, it is evident that home vs. professional blood pressure monitors are more convenient and easier to use when healthcare provider services are unavailable.
However, the accuracy provided by professional blood pressure monitors is unmatched by their home vs. professional blood pressure monitor alternatives. Purchasing blood pressure devices, as well as other medical devices from reliable vendors like Health Supply 770, ensures the provision of high-quality products along with satisfactory services.
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References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6159400/
https://academic.oup.com/ajh/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ajh/hpad120/7502666
PhD Scholar (Pharmaceutics), MPhil (Pharmaceutics), Pharm D, B. Sc.
