i purchased a Omron wrist moniter.Are they reliable for a good reading?

Hey Rarrin, in addition to the great information you received above, we checked with cardiologist Dr. Himanshu Shukla to get his thoughts on your question. You can see his response below.

"While there are a number of home blood pressure monitoring systems on the market, I strongly feel that they need to be checked against your doctor's cuff. Not all home monitoring devices are calibrated. So sometimes the readings are different between the doctor’s cuff and your home monitor. If the difference is know it can be compensated for in interpreting the data."

Hope that helps.

Dear Rarrin: Your question is a great one! There are so many people who buy home versions of many medical devices and it is always important to pick the equipment that offers the closest professional capabilities for home use. Omron is a great brand and rates high on many consumers' reviews. See site below:
http://www.consumersearch.com/blood-pressure-monitors
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/74602.asp?source=FROOGLE

You did not indicate what model but for the most part the wrist versions are not as reliable as the old fashion arm inflating cuff. I purchased recently one for my husband from LifeSource http://www.healthchecksystems.com/lifesource_digital_blood_pressure_monitors.htm to monitor his blood presure using his arm vice his wrist.

I think you made a good choice for routine checks at home.

Rarrin,

I just read a similar question posted on the Mayo Clinic, and the medical doctor said to read the directions very carefully, as some monitors explain specific requirements that you must meet in order to receive an accurate reading (ie, your arm and wrist/monitor must be at heart level).

You can read the full answer here.

hope this helps!

If you do check your monitor and compare it against readings you receive at the doctor's office, can you come back and let us know if your wrist monitor was accurate? (to help others with the same question)

It looks as if they are reliable for a good reading, but the manufacturer warns, "An ill-fitting cuff or an incorrectly-applied cuff can result in inaccurate readings".

You may want to do a few "checks" to see if yours is reading correctly, and stop into a drugstore/pharmacy and see if you receive similar readings from the blood pressure machine that uses the arm cuff, and compare to the reading you receive on your wrist monitor. Also, when you visit the doctor, take a reading on your wrist monitor and compare to the nurse's reading. This should give you the peace of mind that you are looking for.