A blood pressure monitor is a device which is used to measure blood pressure. But do you know the importance of having a blood pressure monitor at home? Before discussing why it matters, let's talk about what blood pressure is. Generally speaking, blood pressure is a measure of the force the heart uses to pump blood around the body. If your blood pressure is high, it means your body needs more power to circulate blood around your body, which can lead to more serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vascular dementia, etc.
30.3% of adults aged 18 and older have hypertension (diagnosed and undiagnosed). In the 18- to 19-year-old age group, the prevalence rate has increased by 6.7% between 1996 and 2015. On top of that, there are many people who don't even know they have high blood pressure. For every 2 people diagnosed with high blood pressure, 3 people are undiagnosed. So why is it important to monitor blood pressure every day?
Eliminate "white coat hypertension": "White coat hypertension" occurs when blood pressure readings in a medical setting are higher than in other settings, such as your home. The anxiety we feel in a medical setting will temporarily lead to the increase in blood pressure reading, which doesn't tell the truth about our health.
Early detection of high blood pressure: By monitoring our blood pressure daily with a blood pressure gauge, we will be able to gain a clearer picture of our health and even help detect early high blood pressure. Therefore, if high blood pressure needs to be controlled by means of medication, lifestyle changes, or both, we will seek early treatment. Remember, high blood pressure is a condition that can be managed and treated at the time of detection and diagnosis.
Monitoring the impact of recent medication changes: Daily monitoring of blood pressure with a blood pressure monitor allows us to create a baseline and then provide useful information about treatment outcomes by comparing and contrasting results. It will also allow us to share this information with our physicians to effectively adjust our medication doses as needed and to help develop a treatment plan that works for us and resolve any issues. The habit of using a blood pressure monitor should not be limited to adults, but also the elderly, especially. Among older adults, the prevalence rate of hypertension has increased by 75.4% between the ages of 70 and 74.
Another main reason why older adults should have their blood pressure checked regularly is that a blood pressure monitor can help reduce the risk of falls. Many older adults experience a drop in blood pressure when sitting or standing up, which can lead to dizziness, and then lead to instability in his body support and eventual falls. This is especially true if they are taking medication to lower their blood pressure. Therefore, their blood pressure when sitting and standing must be measured to ensure their safety.
