They call her the silent killer. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition that has few visible symptoms, but can lead to all sorts of long-term discomfort. If your blood is pumped at high pressure inside your body, it can cause vision and circulation problems and increase the likelihood of heart attacks, aneurysms and other medical problems.
So how do you lower your blood pressure? There is something to discuss with your doctor, but they will probably recommend that you change your diet, exercise more, and possibly take some medications. And they will ask you to start checking your blood pressure regularly.
This is the key to treating high blood pressure: monitoring your blood pressure to see how medications work or lifestyle changes to reduce it. Fortunately, the proliferation of mobile technology has made this easier to achieve. We tested five portable blood pressure monitors that can read and send data to health applications such as Apple Health or Samsung Health. These applications can show you the progress over time and, when studied with your doctor, can set a course for long-term heart health.
Our top choice is Withings BPM Connect, a pocket-free device that performs measurements quickly and can work with or without your mobile phone. This $ 100 device has a clean, simple design and a long-lasting USB rechargeable battery. My favorite cheaper option is iHealth Ease. It costs less than $ 40, and while it’s larger and requires your phone to run the iHealth mobile app while you take a measurement, it’s a great deal. Read on for the rest of my findings on these devices to see one of your most important wellness measures.