What is a Blood Pressure Kit?

A blood pressure kit is a device that allows people to check their blood pressure measurements at home. These kits are often obtained for people who have a medical history of high blood pressure also known as hypertension. Doctors will often recommend people with hypertension have a home kit so their blood pressure can be monitored regularly. There are a few different kinds of blood pressure kits for people to choose from.

A manual blood pressure kit is the kind that most doctors' offices use. It comes with an arm cuff that is pumped up until blood flow is cut off. When the cuff begins to release, blood pressure will start to flow and the pressure can be read on a gauge using numbers to determine a healthy blood pressure. A doctor can also use a stethoscope to hear the blood pressure as well.

Similar manual blood pressure kits can be purchased to use at home. A digital blood pressure kit may be easier to use without a doctor present. These kits also have an arm cuff that electronically pumps and has a digital reading screen of the blood pressure numbers. Some of the electronic kits will record the blood pressure findings and save them to help monitor hypertension throughout the day or week.

Some kits use a finger or wrist cuff instead of an arm cuff. A blood pressure kit that uses a finger or wrist cuff may not be as precise as an arm cuff. These kits can be sensitive to movement and may give inaccurate results.

It may be best to talk to a physician about which home blood pressure kit gives the best results and is still affordable. After purchasing a blood pressure kit, many people will bring it into the doctor's office to compare their blood pressure results to the kit the doctor uses on his patients. If the results are not similar, the home kit may not be working properly.

Many manual or digital blood pressure kits can be found at retail stores that sell other medical supplies. Kits may also be purchased through a doctor's office. Health insurance may or may not cover the cost of a blood pressure kit. If the cost is not covered, it is wise to compare costs, since there are many different kits on the market. A blood pressure kit can be expensive, depending on the features it has and the warranty that comes with it.