Blood pressure monitors

Oscillometric technology measures the vibration of your blood traveling through your arteries and converts the movement into digital readings.

All OMRON blood pressure monitors are clinically proven accurate. They are clinically validated to be within the following:

• Blood pressure: within +/- 3 mgHg or 2 percent
• Pulse: within +/- 5 percent of reading.

Yes, it is quite normal for people's blood pressure to change throughout the day and night, or in different settings where you may measure your blood pressure. Many things, such as stress levels, food or drink intake, activity levels, even time of day can all affect a person's blood pressure reading at any given time. In fact, there are published studies that show a given person's blood pressure can change by up to 20mm within a day, based on activity levels, food/drink intake, stress, etc. This is why it is important to take your blood pressure on a regular basis, and review the overall trend of your blood pressure readings with your doctor.

There are many reasons why blood pressure readings may seem high. Below are some of the common reasons and the estimated ranges of how much readings can vary. It is important to ensure you are using the monitor as it was intended, so please make sure you are following the directions in the instruction manual, or call our consumer support line at (877) 216-1333 if you have questions. It is also important to note that if you can continue to see high readings, discuss with your doctor or a medical professional -- it is possible that your blood pressure is actually higher than what you believe it to be.

Factors Affecting Accuracy of Blood Pressure Monitors¹

1 Handler J, The Permanente Journal 2009; 13:3:51-54

Yes, you will see some differences. This is normal and can occur for many reasons. Some of the more common reasons are:

1. A person's blood pressure varies throughout the day, so at any given moment your blood pressure can change.
2. In terms of the amount of change; there are published studies that show a given person's blood pressure can change by up to 20 mm within a day, based on activity levels, food/drink intake, stress, etc.
3. You may have a condition known as "White Coat Hypertension." This is a condition in which a blood person's blood pressure rises above its usual level when it is measured in a doctor's office or clinical setting.
4. You may have a condition known as "Masked Hypertension." This is a situation in which a person's blood pressure falls below its usual level when it measure in a doctor's office or clinical setting.

Your Heart Rate is the number of times your heart beats in the span of one minute, and is measured using EKG technology. Your Pulse Rate refers to how many times your arteries expand and contract within one minute, and is measured using a blood pressure monitor. Heart Rate and Pulse Rate are calculated differently, and there may be a difference between both values. For more information, please refer to your Instruction Manual.

It is quite possible that your readings may be different from your upper arm to your wrist as blood pressure varies throughout the human body. All OMRON blood pressure monitors, whether upper arm or wrist, are validated in the same manner and have the same accuracy specifications. In terms of which type of blood pressure monitor is best for you, we recommend that you discuss this with your doctor, based on your individual needs.

Blood pressure measurement values vary from the left arm to the right arm. The average is generally within 10 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) for most individuals. OMRON home blood pressure monitors are generally designed for use on the left arm as they are validated through clinical studies using the left arm. You should talk to your doctor before using the right arm to take a measurement.

D-Ring Upper Arm Cuff

A D-ring cuff is a standard type of blood pressure cuff that you would usually see in your doctor's office. It is a cuff where the user loops one end of the cuff through a metal ring, then fastens it to the arm. D-ring cuffs come in different sizes of small, standard and large. It is important to pick out the right size cuff based on your individual arm circumference. Please see the questions in this OMRON FAQ regarding the different types of cuffs and how to measure your arm circumference.

Expandable ComFit Upper Arm Cuff

The OMRON ComFit Cuff is a pre-formed upper arm cuff that expands to fit both regular and large sized arms (upper arm circumferences between 9 and 17 inches). It is designed to ensure more comfortable, accurate readings.

Wrist Cuff

A wrist cuff is similar to an upper arm cuff; however you can wrap it around your wrist instead of your upper arm.

The correct size of cuff is based on the circumference of your upper arm, or your wrist, depending on which type of model you want. OMRON monitors cover a variety of sizes as mentioned below:

D-Ring Upper Arm Cuff Sizing

• Small adult cuff: fits upper arm with circumference between 7-9 inches
• Standard adult cuff: fits upper arm with circumference between 9-13 inches
• Large adult cuff: fits upper arm with circumference between 13 and 17 inches

ComFit Cuff Sizing

• ComFit cuff: fits upper arm with circumference between 9-17 inches

Wrist Model Sizing

• Wrist model: first wrists with circumference between 5¼-8½ inches.

We recommend you apply the cuff using the following directions. First, make sure you have removed any tight-fitting clothing from your left arm. Put your left arm through the cuff loop. The bottom of the cuff should be about one-half inch above your elbow. Turn your arm so your palm is facing up. Adjust the cuff around your arm so that the tubing runs down the center of your arm. Secure the cuff so it stays in place.

D-Ring Cuff

ComFit Cuff

The most common cause of high readings when using a wrist blood pressure monitor is because the user does not have the wrist monitor at heart level. When using a wrist monitor, please ensure the device is at heart level when taking a reading. Also note that there may be actual differences between your blood pressure at the upper arm site and the wrist site.