PRODUCT Omron BP742N 5 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor
PRICE Best Deal – $39.99 at Amazon (click ‘see all buying options’ button)
WARRANTY 2 years on the machine and 1 year on the arm cuff
MY RATING 4.8 out of 5
The Omron Blood Pressure Monitor
Omron is an well established manufacturer of Blood Pressure monitoring devices – in fact they have been in the business of producing healthcare measuring devices since the 1930’s. The variety of machines for monitoring blood pressure is quite substantial and when you visit the Omron website you will be greeted with a generous choice of Upper Arm Monitors, Wrist Monitors and even at the hi-tech end the Going for Zero wrist watch monitor!
Even in the Upper Arm Monitors category there are several to select from. I have chosen a relatively simple model to review Omron BP742N 5 Series because I think it meets all the requirements of a reliable and flexible device without overloading it with too many bells and whistles, which can just make things more complicated than necessary.
Why it’s important to monitor BP frequently at home
High Blood Pressure has been described as the “Silent Killer” because usually it presents without any outward symptoms, yet if it is allowed to persist over a period of time, it can cause ongoing damage to the body, in the form of increased risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and damage to other major organs, such as the kidneys.
Typically, most people don’t think about monitoring their blood pressure until one day, when they visit their Doctor for a check-up for something completely unrelated, the nurse takes their blood pressure as a matter of routine, and lo and behold it’s elevated!! The Doctor may then take it a second time and it’s still high, and before you know it you are leaving the practice with a prescription for a blood pressure pill.
Well, not every time, but in many cases this is how the story plays out.
There are however 2 problems with this scenario
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The phenomenon called White Coat Hypertension
2. Blood Pressure is not static but constantly fluctuating. This depends on many factors, such as time of day, emotional state, level of activity, the type of food or drink recently consumed.
So, having one or two measurements taken at the Doctor’s clinic is not really a true representation of a patient’s average blood pressure readings.
Actually, a good Doctor would know to send you home from your consultation with a suggestion:
Namely, go and buy a reliable BP Monitoring device and continue to check your pressure regularly for at least a period of a week or two, then make another appointment and bring back the results with you!
Enter the Omron BP742N 5 Series Upper Arm BP Monitor!!
Why I like it:
Firstly, it has a large digital read-out screen
Next the features it comes with are exactly what I am looking for in a BP monitor, for instance:
- Accuracy and reliability
- Irregular heartbeat detection – important to know as irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition and should always be checked out by a Medical Professional.
- Dual Settings so that more than one person can use the device.
- Automatic averaging of the last 3 readings taken over a 10 minute period. (Averaging readings in my opinion is a much better and more accurate way of gauging true blood pressure levels)
- Can hold up to 100 readings in its memory (50 per each person using it)
- Omron is the #1 Doctor Recommended brand of BP monitoring device. As a matter of fact, my Doctor now uses an Omron series 5 BP cuff in his practice, replacing the old fashioned sphygmomanometer he used to rely on.
In addition to these great features, the Omron series 5 also includes Multi-coloured BP Indicator Level lights, as well as a BP Level Bar which shows how your reading compares to normal home BP levels.
What are others saying about this product?
Reviews by users of this product are very favourable, and on Amazon it rates a satisfaction level of 4.4 out of 5 stars, including reviews by both professionals and patients.
In particular, users are happy with the quality of the machine and its ease of use. Many take their machines into the Doctor’s Office to have them checked in order to ensure that the calibration is correct and are delighted with the accuracy of their machines.
On Amazon I found the following customer satisfaction reviews table:
Any Cons?
The only real cons I could see with the Omron series 5 are the following…
Blood Pressure readings using a monitoring device require that the BP Cuff fits properly. So, in the case of the Omron series 5 whilst the the D-ring cuff is appropriate for a very wide range of arm circumferences: from 9 to 17 inches, some users might find that a smaller cuff is needed instead.
Also, it would be nice if the device came with a handy AC Adaptor for those times when the batteries are exhausted and you don’t have extras in the house.
The good news is that an AC adapter may be purchased from Amazon for a nominal amount.
Rounding it up..
At home Blood Pressure Monitors are a must for anyone with high blood pressure who is having to watch their blood pressure levels on an ongoing basis.
Knowledge is power, and the ability to have the convenience of a reliable, easy to use and accurate BP measuring device at your finger tips will definitely help you keep on top of monitoring your blood pressure, and thereby give you peace of mind.
I have every confidence that the Omron series 5 is the perfect companion for this task. The company has a great track record and its products are well reviewed both for quality and most importantly accuracy.
So I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this product. If it came with the AC Adaptor and Travel Case it would have merited a perfect 5 out of 5 from me!!
If you have any thoughts on this product please drop me a line in the comments section below.
==▶︎ Click Here for my Review of the Lifesource UA-767 BP Monitor ◀︎==