OmronM6 Comfort Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with Comfort Cuff –22-42cm

A very competent non invasive blood pressure monitor (NIBP) at an attractive price. The display is very clear with an excellent viewing angle. The operator's manual is clear and concise and the unit is very easy to use. The cuff is cleverly designed as it is pre-formed into a hollow cylinder which makes it extremely easy to fit on yourself or on another person and then secure with the Velcro strip. This feature avoids the usual pitfall of many NIBPs that incorrect cuff placement or wrong cuff tightness reduce accuracy. The device has the further feature of indicating correct fitting of the cuff as well as another indicator showing that the subject is moving excessively thus impeding accuracy during measurement.The digital display shows systolic and diastolic pressure as well as pulse rate and a patient number, date, and some informative symbols. A pressure bar graph is shown during measurement as well as the cuff pressure.The NIBP has a memory function for two people and can store a large number of readings which can be used to show trends in blood pressure over time. Further, the memory can be set to record readings either in the morning or during the day. This is useful to identify morning hypertension. The average of the stored readings can also be displayed. Battery life is very long using the alkaline batteries supplied so it is probably not worth buying the optional mains power supply.In addition, the unit has a "traffic light" system to indicate normal and high systolic and diastolic pressures: it would be sensible for first time users of NIBPs to research what different levels of blood pressure mean and how they relate to your age and general health.Overall, an excellent NIBP unit for both professional and home use. Highly recommended.

The pressure cuff is so well designed... no worries about aligning it correctly as with other cuffs. It also has a very useful bag which holds everything nicely and prevents damage.The display is very large and easy to read, even by those with poor eyesight. The numbers are huge! On top of this, edge LEDs give you a green/orange/red indication of the general result ... it also detects if you do anything to harm the result, such as excess movement during reading or poor cuff fit - making them almost fool proof.It remembers your previous readings, which can be recalled easily ... and it does this for two users (using a very simple slider) so you can keep results separate - or just to split up your morning and evening measurements.Accuracy between subsequent readings taken back-to-back is very good - with other BP monitors you often need to take multiple readings and average them, but this one really has almost no deviation between readings taken back-to-back... so you can be confident that one reading will do the job.Of course, you have to do your part too. Sat up straight, back supported, arm supported, cuff at or close to heart height, knees together, wrist upward... but, if you do this, you'll get a very consistent reading every time.So, yeah... I'm loving this monitor! My doctor has the exact same model. Now I've bought one for a friend, as his old monitor was giving very random results and didn't even recognise that he was nudging stage-II hypertension ... he's now managing his condition with propanolol and exercise : )NOTE: Don't throw away the little cardboard triangle from inside the bag - it's needed to keep the wedge-shaped monitor level in the square bag and prevents it rattling about. My only negative is that this packing wedge should have been foam.

I have severe White Coat Syndrome so whenever my doctor or practice nurse takes my blood pressure it is sky high (e.g. 210/100). I'm fed up of arguing with them so decided the only way to prove I don't need medication was to take my own blood pressure when relaxed at home.The Omron M6 is easy to use. The comfort cuff takes a few goes to get used to but is very easy once you have the knack. If the cuff is not on right the machine senses this, which is a very useful feature. The Intellisense inflation also means that the cuff is not over inflated so the arm is not squeezed any more than is necessary.The ability of the Omron M6 to take readings easily and quickly and to store a decent number of readings is most useful. As this is a clinically tested device similar to ones used in many hospitals and doctors surgeries you can have the confidence that the readings are likely to be fairly accurate.And yes, it is White Coat Syndrome - the home readings are in the 120/70 region!

Good points:Omron are a very good make.It is easy to use - nice that it isn't fussy about exactly were you put it on your upper arm and that it tells you if you've fitted it properly.Nice that the pressure it pumps up to is monitored so that it only pumps it up enough for YOU.Readings really clear and easy to storeLike that it can store data for two peopleDownside:Keeping it the storage case is a little more fiddly than it needs to be, but once you've worked out the best way to do it, it is fine (but I tend not to bother, and just leave it out as I take readings twice a day)It is usually considered a good idea to take two readings in close succession. To do this, you have to switch it off and then back on again for the second reading, which is a bit of a bore. (hence 4 stars)