Main criteria for choosing a tonometer
- Type of apparatus.
- Compliance of the result of the level of accuracy with which it is positioned.
- Cuff.
- Pear (supercharger).
- Ability to work from the network.
- Additional features.
- Warranty and service.
Let's look at each item in more detail with the MPS.
Type of apparatus
This is perhaps the most important criterion when choosing a tonometer. The magnitude of the permissible error for any apparatus is ± 3 mm RT. Art. When measuring pressure and ± 5 mm RT. Art. When measuring the pulse.
Using a tonometer independently, you should always remember that the inaccuracy of the readings (variation) depends not only on the quality of the tonometer, but also from a number of foreign factors:
- movement with hand or body, tension during pressure measurement procedure;
- Mechanical interference (for example, a knock on the table on which a hand with a cuff is lying);
- conversation during pressure measurement;
- pressure measurement several times in a row without interruption;
- Miscellaneous cuff tension, its different positions during procedures.
Cuff
For self-use at home, a cuff is suitable on which there is a round metal lock. This device helps correctly and easily secure the cuff on hand.
The cuff on the shoulder for the electronic device is produced in three standard sizes: the length of coverage is 15-22 cm (children's), 22-32 cm (average) and 32-42 cm (large). Basically, automatic tonometers are equipped with a cuff with an average coverage length, for instruments with fixation on the wrist, the size of the cuff is approximately 13-20 cm. If none of the specified sizes fit, the cuffs of the desired length can be purchased to order. For mechanical devices, cuffs are made of various lengths: 7-12 cm, 11-19 cm, 18-26 cm, 25-40 cm, 34-51 cm, 40-66 cm (for fixing on the thigh).
Material for making cuffs are cotton and nylon. Nylon cuffs are more often used in medical practice - they are easier to handle. Cotton cuff - perfect option for individual use.
Pear (supercharger)
Good pear makes it easy and quick to measure pressure, while tight and disprotecting (especially in a weak hand of an elderly person) makes this procedure to be tormented. When choosing a tonometer, it is necessary to maintain a pear in the hand, try pumping it to evaluate how easy it is to use. It is better to stop the choice on the product from latex - he does not take durability.
Ability to work from the network
A rare shoulder tonometer-machine is not equipped with a power socket from the network through the adapter. Taking advantage of the adapter at home, you can not spend money on batteries, do not worry about the fact that the pressure cannot be measured in case the finger elements are discharged. When the device is running from the network, you do not need to remove the batteries from it - they are automatically disabled at this time.
Additional features
All automatic and semi-automatic devices are usually equipped with an electronic calendar and a clock, alert timer, memory, a tonometer quality control system and battery savings system.
From the point of view of additional properties in the pressure measurement, models with diagnostic functions are interesting: an arrhythmia indicator, an automatic calculation of the average blood pressure value. You can also purchase a tonometer with a unique system of artificial intelligence IntelliSense, which never allows errors and works without errors in the presence of arrhythmia.
Warranty and service
Before buying a tonometer, it is necessary to make sure that the instrument has a passport in Russian with information about the manufacturer, with metrological seal.
It is better to stop the choice on a tonometer, the specified service life is at least 20 years, and the manufacturer provides a long warranty - from 3 to 5 years.
