Self-monitoring blood pressure? Why bother?
As a tech and healthcare influencer, I was invited to do a paid collaboration with Omron Healthcare to learn about their home blood pressure monitor, EVOLV, and to join their community campaign of #GoingForZero heart attacks and strokes. The thoughts here are entirely my own. And, of course, nothing here should be considered medical advice — only your doctor can give you that!
The American Heart Association (AMA) recommends “home monitoring” (self-measuring) of blood pressure “for all people with high blood pressure…” Since I’ve never been flagged as having high blood pressure, why should I bother? … I would learn.
The AMA also recommends for home blood-pressure monitoring using “an automatic, cuff-style bicep (upper-arm)’ monitor”. As the video that follows shows, Omron’s automatic EVOLV monitor simply requires pressing a button for the device to comfortably and quickly self inflate, automatically stopping when the reading is captured. Another button on the device and a tap on the Omron mobile app syncs and archives the reading.
Omron’s EVOLV device makes self-monitoring blood pressure a breeze:
Sharing your blood pressure readings with your doctor is made simple with EVOLV as well. Open your mobile app on your smartphone. Designate the time frame of readings you’d like to share. Enter your doctor’s address and send.
Thankfully, I am someone who has always enjoyed good health (we’ll leave out a couple accidents, like a parachuting crash in the Netherlands!). I work hard. I play hard. I travel much (averaged twelve countries last year and the year before). So, the notion of monitoring my blood pressure struck me as something that might be unnecessary, cumbersome and time consuming. It is none of these.
Interestingly, as soon as I got the sleek device, everyone who saw it wanted to try it. Really. Everyone wanted to know their blood pressure and pulse reading would be— and no one seemed to have any idea as to how they would rate. Herein lies the problem.
About one of every three adults in Americans has high blood pressure, warns the US Center for Disease Control (CDC). That’s about 75 million Americans. According to Dr. Richard J. McManus, a professor of primary care at the University of Oxford, quoted by the NY Times, “If a good proportion of those (with hypertension, i.e., elevated blood pressure) self-monitored, it would lead to a big reduction in stroke.” Citing a new study on the success of self-monitoring blood pressure, the NY Times reported, “The authors estimate these lower numbers would lower stroke risk by 20 percent and coronary artery disease risk by 10 percent” when the self-monitoring was coupled with a sharing of the results with a physician. Participants in that study actually used Omron’s blood pressure monitors.
“No symptoms — can kill you.”
The AMA doesn’t pull any punches when it talks about the risks of a “silent” killer. “No symptoms can kill you.”
In recommending home blood pressure monitoring, the AMA cautions that it should not replace visiting your doctor.
Some AMA tips on self-monitoring your blood pressure:
- Try to do it the same time each day.
- Relax. Sit comfortably.
- No coffee, alcohol, smoking or exercise within 30 minutes before.
- It doesn’t matter which arm you use.
- “A single high reading is not an immediate cause for alarm.”
When what you don’t know can kill you, far better to know!
Old habits are hard to kill, new ones can be a challenge. Having the EVOLV automatic blood-pressure monitoring device at home, in sight, makes taking a reading an easy, regular event. As a I continue to form a new, healthy habit, taking the reading at the same time each day is something I’ll need to work on. Getting to know my blood pressure and understand the importance of knowing it is something EVOLV has already given me.
Join us in #GoingForZero!
I wouldn’t recommend a product I didn’t believe in, really believe in it. I do believe in the quality and helpfulness of having an EVOLV blood-pressure monitoring device in your home. — Omron didn’t ask me to say that. My experience with the device and my new understanding of the seriousness and breadth of the risk of high blood pressure are my inspiration for saying this.
If you’d like to get your own EVOLV device, that’s easy, too. Omron can mail you one.
At the very least, please join us in the pledge of #GoingForZero heart attacks and strokes.
If you happen to “tweet”, please connect with me on Twitter (HealthcareLdr)
In case you missed my first post about EVOLV…
“Connect with me on Connected Health #GoingForZero”
