Another health gadget for home use

On my doctor's advice, I've bought an Omron M3 upper-arm blood pressure monitor. Actually, when she texted me the link to a recommended supplier (www.expresschemist.co.uk) she had in mind the basic Omron device, but I couldn't resist buying one with a few more bells and whistles. Ordered online, it arrived yesterday. Here it is.

You get the monitor itself, which works off four AA batteries; a sleeve which fits over your upper arm, with a rubber tube that connects it to the monitor; instruction leaflets; and a zip-up case. You could take this device away on holiday, and I will be doing that in September, as I'd like to take regular weekly readings.  

Why buy one at all? Well, it's clearly handy to have the means to take accurate measurements in the comfort of my own home. I had hypertension diagnosed as far back as 1994, and I've been on medication ever since. In normal times I can get my blood-pressure checked at the local surgery, either by the doctor, or maybe by a nurse, or by using a machine in the general waiting area. But of course personal visits to the surgery are now impossible unless one's ailment is severe or urgent, and so no blood pressure measurements can get taken. 

I'd gone online and arranged a medication review by phone with my doctor, mainly to get her authorisation for further blood tests. She readily agreed, and added some of her own, but was regretful that I hadn't had a blood-pressure measurement for the best part of a year. So she asked me whether I had a home kit. I said no - weren't they rather expensive, over £100? Oh no! I could get a decent basic monitor for £30 or so. Right-ho then, I said; and within hours I'd got her text and placed my order. Including delivery, the cost for my not-quite-so-basic device would be £49.28. Still only half what I thought it might be.  

Well, having unpacked my new toy, I read the instructions, put the kit together, and donned the sleeve.

Of course, I'd put the sleeve on the wrong way! I took it off, studied the instructions more closely, and this time got it right.

Ready for my very first home measurement. I pressed the button on the monitor, and the sleeve tightened on my arm, just as it used to when seeing my doctor. I could feel my pulse strongly. Then it relaxed. And lo, figures appeared on the monitor's display.

My blood pressure was 113/75 - pretty good for a 68 year old. (Or rather, good evidence that my current hypertension medication was effective). My pulse was 48 heartbeats per minute, which was fine. The other two symbols told me that (a) the sleeve had been tight enough; and that (b) an irregular heart beat rhythm had been detected during the measurement.

An irregular heart beat rhythm? The monitor instructions defined this as 'a rhythm that is 25% less or 25% more than the average rhythm detected during a measurement'. I'd never had this called to my attention before. Perhaps it was merely the thrill of using the device for the first time - the first frisson - or perhaps something more serious. Well, I'd see whether that irregular-beat symbol showed up on the next couple of measurements, and if it did, inform my doctor. Meanwhile, I wasn't going to worry.  

What I did do was use the new app adopted by the practice to share that 113/75 reading with them. And this morning I've added my latest weight, which according to my electronic home scales was 86.7kg (a bit more than 13 and a half stone). They know my height (174cm) and will conclude that my BMI is rather high (29.3) and will need some action. 

So I'm bracing myself for doctor's orders. Though really I already know what the culprits are: too much yummy but bad stuff consumed when eating out in company; and not enough fat-burning exercise. Sigh.