As my mom aged and hit menopause, she quietly started feeling a little weaker, with frequent bone aches, before she was eventually diagnosed with high blood pressure. But understanding whether we were actually doing things right was difficult without tracking her readings.
Last year, when we first found out about her BP, we knew we had to make several changes to her diet and lifestyle to help her stay healthy and keep her numbers under control.
Morepen Arm Blood Pressure Monitor BP-14. Morepen BP-14 is a fully automatic, digital, upper-arm blood pressure monitor designed for home use. Her doctor suggested keeping a BP monitor at home so we could regularly check her levels and keep track of how her lifestyle and treatment were working. That’s when I started looking for an easy-to-use, reasonably priced machine and came across the Dr. I have now been using it for almost a year now, mainly to check my mom’s BP every morning. Here’s what I liked, what could be better, and what you should know before using one at home. The Dr. It comes with the monitor and cuff and requires four AAA batteries, which are included and have lasted well for us. High blood pressure often doesn’t have obvious symptoms, so relying on how someone feels isn’t enough. The American Heart Association recommends home monitoring for people diagnosed with hypertension, preferably with an automatic upper-arm cuff monitor. Since my mom has both high BP and diabetes and is on prescribed BP and diabetes medication, keeping a record has become part of her morning routine. I find the large display easy to read, and the one-touch operation means she doesn’t need much assistance.
My verdict: What I like and what I don’t
After nearly a year, what I like most is its simplicity. It is automatic, easy to operate, stores readings for two users, and doesn’t require complicated settings. For our home, where regular BP tracking matters, it has been convenient. My biggest takeaway: A home blood pressure monitor is a tracking tool, not a replacement for a doctor. The American Heart Association recommends using an automatic upper-arm cuff monitor and having your healthcare professional check that your device and technique are giving accurate readings.
