If you are suffering from high blood pressure, or hypertension, it's probably a good idea for you to have a personal blood pressure monitor at home.

Alternatively, you can always go to Walgreens or Sam's Club, or any other pharmacies where sit-down automatic blood pressure machines are available so that you can customers who woiuld like to check their own blood pressure.

These are usually fairly accurate, but your blood pressure may be a little more raised than it would be if you were checking it at home. It's really only what you would expect -- if you'e out shopping, dealing with the issues of driving, parking, finding the items you want, checking out, etc, your blood pressure is probably going to be a little higher, and it is simply normal for it to fluctuate a little in the course of the day.

But stress has a known effect on blood pressure, which is why you might want to consider having a personal blood pressure monitor at home, so that you can check your blood pressure at times when you are not influenced by the rat race going on in the world outside your home.

There are several different types of blood pressure monitors you might choose for home use, and these can be obtained in most pharmacies, and also on a number of websites.

Prices can fluctuate, significantly, starting as low as $25 and reaching $300 and more, depending on the features of the unit, and whether it is electric, battery operated, or manual.

Blood pressure monitors are available in several forms, which can monitor by using the arm, finger or wrist. Some of them inflate automatically and others must be manually inflated with the attached bulb. Larger sized cuffs are also available if needed, and most if not all blood pressure monitors will tell the individual their pulse as well as a blood pressure reading.

Additionally, some blood pressure monitors will also warn the user of an irregular heartbeat, give a warning if a high or low reading is recorded, and will also give an average of three readings. Most blood pressure monitors also come with a carrying case, batteries, and forms to record your readings. More expensive models have more features, more than one size cuff, extra bulbs, and sometimes many other extras.

Additional bells and whistles are really not necessary, and a basic unit such as that curently available from Walgreens for $35 will serve your purpose just fine. Most blood pressure monitors offer a warranty card you can send in, along with an address you can send it to if you have any problems. But if you'e buying an inexpensive unit, it may be a better approach to just buy another unit, avoiding the trouble, time and expense involved in returning a faulty unit.

However you eventually proceed, a home blood pressure monitor could be a real life saver. Bearing in mind that hypertension is known as the silent killer, an early warning of trouble ahead might literally save your life.

Valentine Burghill is the proprietor of Blood Pressure 4 U

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