Best blood pressure monitor?

[LarrylLix]

This is the same for software, hardware and any other breed of tools...being familiar and skilled with what you have.

 

[pete_c]

Unrelated to OP...
 
Yeah here in to weather and like antiques.  Same as time (its a hobby).
 
I currently utilize a Davis Weather station with software now running on a little tiny RPi2. 
 
Favorite barometer today though is the one in my home office that works with no electricity.
 
 

 


 

 

 

[NeverDie]

Returning to the OP, I'm still curious about the multi-parameter machines.

 

[apostolakisl]

Yes, I was thinking of that as a strategy too.  I'm not sure if the machine does that or not, but I get the vague  impression it doesn't.  Presently I have it set to do 3 measurements with the default 1 minute gap inbetween (expandable to 2 minutes through a user setting), and at the end it reports only one pair of numbers, not any of the intermediate readings.  
That's an intriguing suggestion that I never would have thought of.  Aside from blood pressure, what other parameters would I want such a "multiparameter" machine to have?

 
pulse oxymetry . . . which is the percent saturated your hemoglobin is. Mostly you would expect to be in the mid 90's breathing normal.  Hold your breath and it will drop after about 30 seconds and hyperventilate and it will go up to 100%.  If you have a section of your lungs that blood is flowing to, but you aren't getting air to, this number will drop.  Pneumonia or having aspirated something for example.  Also during an asthma attack.
 
3-lead ecg . . . this shows you the electrical wave form from your heart.  This won't mean squat to you without training.  A 12 lead is the full deal, but a 3 lead can tell you a lot, especially rhythm things like, SVT, a-fib, v-fib (which you would never be checking yourself for since you would be on the floor nearly dead), and other arythmias.  You could also typically see the signs of ischemia or heart attach if you know what you are looking at.
 
respiratory rate . . . yeah, you can count that pretty easy on your own, but the machine does it also.  Typically this requires you have the electrical connectors for the ecg attached as it gauges chest movement from that.
 
Temp . . . obvious.  Requires the adapter.
 
and it may have attachments for co2 monitoring and invasive blood pressure, but these require more adapters and or in the case of invasive bp, a catheter in your artery.
 
These machines are typically used in surgery, icu, and post-op areas so a nurse doesn't have to stare at you constantly to know if things are going down hill.  Mostly these other parameters don't serve a lot of purpose in the home environment, but, what the heck.
 
Here is an example.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datascope-Passport-EL-Multiparameter-Monitor-/252094825402?hash=item3ab205c3ba  This particular one comes with ecg and bp adapters and looks to be in good condition.  You can search ebay and find better prices I am sure, perhaps one that includes the pulse ox adapter too.  Or you can buy the pulse ox adapter separate.