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Sunday, March 29, 2015

**REVIEW** MeasuPro Blood Pressure Monitor

Couldn't wait to do the review for this, but I have to tell you up front: This post is just for people who have to be serious about monitoring their blood pressure. 

Unfortunately, I am one of those people. Due to my genetic history, my illness and, partly, my previous lifestyle habits, I have crazy blood pressure. At one point I had readings with numbers that looked like they were indicating the amount of people who are irritated by Kanye West. (Just kidding, K.W. Don't sue me.) Thanks to good docs and some lifestyle changes, I am more often running numbers in the range of almost-usually-normal. Unless I spend too much time around certain people!

All joking aside, I did have systolic readings in the high 200's. Seriously. Almost dead seriously.

The best thing about my getting this nasty sarcoidosis (other than living through it) is that it forced me to get medical care. Part of my care includes being treated for my blood pressure issues. My part of that care is to regularly monitor my BP in between doctor appointments. This is a machine that's going to make that a lot easier:

Official name: BPM-20A Digital Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor and Heart Rate Monitor by MeasuPro.

Big name for a seriously good monitor. Here's some of what it features:
  1. Provides accurate measurements of your blood pressure and pulse rate.
  2. Records for 2 separate users.
  3. Has a bright LCD display with separate touch buttons for each individual user. 
  4. Records up to 120 blood pressure readings (60 readings per user) with date and time memory recall. 
  5. Graphical readings are classified in five different levels.
  6. Displays are color coded to represent the reading's level of hypertension. 
  8. Arm cuff fits upper arm circumference of 23-32 cm. 
As soon as I unboxed this, I was impressed by how solid and sturdy it is. It's not uncomfortable heavy, but it doesn't slide all around when you sit it on a surface to use it. Also, the cuff is made so well - good fabric and design. For anyone who uses a digital BP monitor, you know how annoying it can be to have the hose disconnect, right? Well, this one attaches securely in a twist-lock fashion.

Of the 8 features I listed, the ones I like best are -

  • #4 because I'm forever losing those little BP record-keeping cards the doctors have me use
  • #6 because, for some reason, I pay more attention to the colors than I do the numbers, and
  • #8 because, well, that's just freaking awesome and it's not something my math-stupid brain would do on its own.

I've decided that, since no one else in the house monitors their BP, I'll use the 2nd-user function for when my meds change or something. Of course, I'll still also record as User 1 to keep the averaging functions straight.

Like I said, this is a monitor for someone who needs to be serious about tracking their BP. Because of all the actually useful features, it's a much better buy than other monitors I've gone through in the past couple of years. One of those other machines was so annoying that, during a prednisone rage, I threw it against the wall when the air hose kept pulling loose. (I'm not proud of that, but I'm honest!) The dang thing was so lightweight that it didn't even damage the wall... 

I forgot to mention that this came with batteries.

There is a spot on the back to connect a DC plug, though the machine didn't come with one. No problem. One of the old machines I'm discarding has one I can use since the plugs are standard.

Basically, this is the best monitor I've used. A lot of times when I review a product, I'll like it a lot with no plans to purchase in the near future. This is one time that I can say that I'll always want to use this particular product. I notice that the brand also has a wrist monitor BP reader. That might be interesting for people who can't use their arm for a reading. My sister, Mike, has a fistula and that would have been a better choice for her. Bottom line though, this brand has truly impressed me with the quality of the monitor they let me review.

As for the price, I've paid the same (or more) for other monitors and they didn't have all the features and weren't anywhere near the quality of this one. So, it's worth every penny of the non-Prime price, but if you do have Amazon Prime, it's a must-have.

Once again, the link to the product is here and it comes with a 2-year manufacturer's warranty. 

