Blood Pressure Cuff Wearable

tcolvinOH

Im on the hunt for a new BP cuff. My cardiologist and I are trying to understand some issues related to dizziness that Im having, which seem to be due to POTS. In an effort to try to understand better what is happening and catch exactly when this happen (like being in certain positions), I'd like to have something more in a wearable fashion, like a Fitbit. The other requirement for me is to be able to import the data from the device into Cronometer. I've looked at the Nokia and Quardio options a little, but was curious what opinions are out there. What do they do that you like? Dislike? Im not prepared to get one today, but I certainly want to do due diligence before I am ready to get one.

HankG

I have an Omron BP786 which does a pretty good job but it's one of your typical desk-based units and I have to enter my data manually up to the cloud (although supposedly there is a syncing feature). I'd be curious what people come up with too...

bracconiere

i'm afraid monitoring your BP in realtime would be impossible being that it needs to read the High and Low audible pressure in the cuff...there are wrist ones i've seen, but they say even crossing your legs effects your reading on a normal one..

bracconiere

b12 helped with my light headedness, had a minor case of low RBC...i assume if your talking to a doc they sent you for a CBC already though...what was your RBC level? do you take a b12? if you don't have a gallbladder, maybe @Susan_RD_101 can chime in on if bile effects b12 absorption...

...

tcolvinOH

I've been taking B12 since I quit smoking. They've already run a bunch of tests on me and have determined that its likely POTS. The dr wants me to keep an eye specifically on BP's when I get dizzy, and a lot of them are positional, which is what POTS is. Normally, BP changes whenever we change positions due to the change in effect of gravity. However, mine doesnt entirely work that way. Having the BP cuff would help understand better how my BP reacts to certain positions. The desk unit requires a lot of extra steps and by the time you get into position, you're not getting a representative number.

You are correct in that crossing legs does affect BP. My BP is generally normal. It changes when I move around and thats more of what Im trying to log. More than anything, I'd just like to be able to accumulate some data and see if I can recognize some trends in different positions to discuss with my dr.

The Nikon and Quardio models are interesting. Because there's not as much to them. They strap to your arm, like any other cuff. Then are mostly controlled by the phone/bluetooth. I'd be interested to see if there's any scheduling capabilities or anything like that, like they do in the hospital.

Hilary

We just started syncing with Qardio! https://cronometer.com/blog/introducing-qardio/ We have been testing one out here at Cronometer HQ, and it seems pretty cool!

tcolvinOH

@Hilary - what do you like about it vs not? Have you worn it personally? I took this into consideration when looking at my options, because I want something that is going to pull data into Cronometer. Can you provide any feedback on the device itself?

Hilary

I have worn it personally! Pretty intuitive app (Qardio) and easily syncs data (Systolic, diastolic and pulse) into Cronometer. Now that we have time stamping in effect, you can track these metrics throughout the day as well!
The cuff itself is comfortable and sleek (no buttons and seems pretty sturdy) uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone - we have a LOT of devices here at Cronometer HQ and in general, it always seemed pretty easy to sync to the correct device.
The other nice thing about it is that you can set it to take multiple readings and give you an average as your final reading (This is in general accepted as the most accurate way to take biometric readings to reduce error).

tcolvinOH

I would agree that the average is probably best. Especially with BP, due to its constant influx. Does it happen to do any kind of scheduled readings, like, every few minutes or anything like that, so that if you wore it throughout the day, it would take those readings? Some days Im fairly active and others not so much, so it would be handy to be able to get as much data as I can.

Hilary

I would say its a bit bulky to be wearing all day, but that's personal preference. I don't believe it will do scheduled readings; you can however set reminders on their mobile app. You can also view charts of your readings on the Qardio app (Daily weekly and monthly)

Hilary

https://store-ca.getqardio.com/pages/qardio-reviews

tcolvinOH

The reviews seem pretty good. I always find reviews challenging because they arent always realistic. You only get positive feedback and nothing negative. What would you say was the most challenging aspect of the device? Im strongly considering getting one of these.

I really appreciate the feedback and time.

Hilary

Honestly it was pretty intuitive once we got it set up. Probably the most challenging part was realizing it was a lot easier than we thought it was going to be - mostly figuring out how to put it away/ turn it off. I guess there is a magnet which turns off/ resets the cuff, once you wrap it up properly. But once we figured that out it was easy-peasy!

tcolvinOH

I was just reading about that too. What seemed like an honest assessment of the device. I dont know if the source is legit or not (https://theskepticalcardiologist.com/2017/04/16/qardioarm-stylish-accurate-and-portable-is-it-the-iphone-of-home-blood-pressure-monitors/) but it at least seemed to concur with what you've been saying.

It certainly cant hurt to try it out. They have a good return policy, if it doesnt work out. Plus, more data in Cronometer

tcolvinOH

@Hilary, do you recall if it took awhile for y'all to receive your device? I ordered the device two days ago (granted i ordered it late in the day), and all I've received so far is just an order confirmation email (which took some digging to find - it went to spam right away).

So far, Im not real impressed with their support. I've submitted a request online and have yet to get a response other than an automated email and today I tried to call their support line, and was told that no representatives were available and to go to the website for support.

I guess I can understand that shipments can take some time. They dont really provide anywhere to look up the status of the order and calling seemed to be a bust so far. I'm hoping that this wasnt a bad idea.

Can you describe the kind of support experience you've had with them? I'm sure you may have gone through whatever they offer for their partners, which may be a different level/type of support. Im just curious if this is what I can expect or if Im having a different experience.

Hilary

Hi Tim,
I was not personally in Contact with Qardio, but from what I understand, all of our contact with them was prompt and informative. Depending on where you live, it might take more/less time to receive your device. We live in a small town in Canada, so I'm not sure that the shipping time we had would be relevant!

tcolvinOH

I finally heard back from someone from there after sending multiple requests. Apparently they are on back order, due to a labor day sale.

I was moreso inquiring about the support experience, because mine hasn't been that great so far. But I'm exercising patience.