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Ken’s Health Tips – Blood Pressure Machines

Date:  Sep 7, 2018

When the doctor says you should monitor your blood pressure so, what should you do?

Go and buy a BP machine from Watson or Guardian?

Or you can get Xiaomi too.

I have a Xiaomi BP machine.

It is very sleek.  Cheap too.

But how accurate is Xiaomi BP machine?

Let me tell you my story.

For longest time, I never use the Xiaomi BP machine.  My wife took it out and use it.  So, I tag along and use it too.  And I was surprise to see that the BP reported on Xiaomi is so high.  Some times it can get as high as 180/130mmHg.  Yeap… You heard correctly.  180.

So, of course I don’t believe it, I then measure it with my right hand.  And I got normal 140/110mmHg kind of readings.

Next day, I did it again, and my left hand BP shoot up to 190/135mmHg, and my right hand BP maintain 140/105mmHg.

My wife BP appears to be correct.

I continue to monitor for a week or so, and I beh tahan, I go see my doctor and did a medical check up almost immediately.  Although there is nothing wrong with me from the surface, my medical checkup returned with red flags.  And I went on to take a major ops to fix it.  That is another story to tell later.  (be patient!).

So, I have to thank my crappy Xiaomi BP machine that gives me these “false” readings, otherwise, I won’t go and see the doctor and did an extensive medical checkup.

Now, back to our story.  So, few weeks ago, I use the Xiaomi to take my BP again, 2 weeks after the operations.  And this time, Xiaomi BP machine is like going hay wired…

Flashing red.  Red Alert!!!  What is this crap!!!  244/164mmHg????????????

But then, when my wife test it, her BP is correct!!!

Oh ya, Xiaomi branding is “iHealth”.

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So, I beh tahan, go and buy another brand of BP machine.

And measure it immediately once I got it.  And I got 127/73mmHg.  Which is normal.

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Next day, I did the measurement again.

First with Xiaomi BP machine.  155/95mmHg.  It seems normal now.  Still I don’t like the “155” figure.

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And when I did it with OMRON.  130/84mmHg.  Good readings too.

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Summary

  1. Most of the BP machines you can buy can only give you estimate BP readings.
  2. There is no 100% accuracy.
  3. The best method is still using the conventional doctor method.  Use your hearing.
  4. When I was in the hospital, I asked the nurse what is the best brand to buy, she said buy Philip brand, which is more accurate.  Unfortunately, I can only buy Omron from Guardian or Watson.
  5. So, I did the comparison with Xiaomi’s iHealth vs. Omron, Omron give me better results which is consistent with most of the readings done while I was in hospital those few days.
  6. As a result, I dumped my Xiaomi BP machine away and use Omron from now on.
  7. I found that when I use Xiaomi, I kept giving doubts and that increase my blood pressure a bit some how and make me think there are something wrong with my body.  When I switch to use Omron BP machine, as it gives consistent reading which matched those readings I got from hospitals (measuring every hour).
  8. So, I am now happy with my Omron BP machine.
  9. My Xiaomi’s iHealth could be faulty, but my wife’s reading seems correct, and my right hand reading seems correct too.  May be Xiaomi don’t like my left hand.  hahahaha

 

 

 

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