Omron: Improving quality of care

IMPORTANCE OF CUFF USAGE IN HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING

Home Blood Pressure Monitoring is most suited to hypertensive patients who wish to contribute to their own health management. Correct measurements are affected by the device and the patient's use of the cuff. Many patients use the cuff incorrectly. Incorrect measurements can lead to patients' anxiety and doctors spending extra time on unnecessary office visits.
Home Blood Pressure Monitoring is highly recommended by leading hypertension and cardiovascular specialists. Home Blood Pressure Monitoring should become routine component of blood pressure monitoring in the majority of patients with known or suspected hypertension. It has the potential to improve the quality of care while reducing costs, and its use is also recommended for white-coat or masked hypertension [1].

INCORRECT HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING READINGS CAN HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES

Evidence in literature reinforces the consequences of incorrect blood pressure measurements. Overestimating true blood pressure by 5 mm Hg would lead to inappropriate treatment with antihypertension medications, with the attendant's exposure to adverse drug effects, the psychological effects of misdiagnosis, and unnecessary costs [5]. Underestimating true blood pressure by 5 mm Hg would mislabel people with prehypertension when true hypertension is present. It has been predicted that the consequences of an untreated 5 mm Hg of excessive systolic blood pressure would be a 25% increase over current levels of fatal strokes and fatal myocardial infarctions for these individuals [2].

CUFF POSITIONING MATTERS [4]

The conditions under which Home Blood Pressure Monitoring is performed can greatly affect the measured blood pressure levels. The European Society of Hypertension Practice Guidelines for home blood pressure monitoring recommend that the cuff should be wrapped around the upper arm with its inflatable bladder centered on the arm anterior surface (most cuffs have an indication of proper placement) with the lower edge of the cuff approximately 2 - 3cm above the bend of the elbow [3].

ISSUE: 1 out of 3 people measure incorrectly. [5]

Regular cuffs can cause inaccurate results when positioned incorrectly. Research has shown that 1 out of 3 people measure their blood pressure incorrectly due to incorrect placing of the cuff. Regular cuffs have only a small zone where accurate measurement is possible, so they must be placed in a specific position over the artery. If the cuff is not placed correctly, patients can see inaccurate or variable results. Wrong placement of the cuff can lead to incorrect measurements of the blood pressure levels.

OMRON M7 Intelli IT, which is OMRON's latest Bluetooth device Automatic blood pressure monitor with the unique Intelli Wrap Cuff technology, gives 360 degrees accuracy with accurate results in any position around the upper arm [6]. Omron Intelli Wrap Cuff's accurate measurement zone wraps 360° around the arm, making it virtually impossible to place the cuff incorrectly around your upper arm.
The product also brings a new connected solution: OMRON connect. It provides easy display of device measurements, history graphs and averages, makes it easy to view, save and share personal health data per e-mail or with other apps, like Apple Health. The benefits of connected blood pressure devices and data sharing with doctors can help improve therapy compliance [7]. There is an increasing need for  smartphone applications in the Home Blood Pressure Monitoring market. With it, patients have a better understanding of their blood pressure, as their measurements is shown on easy to read graphs. OMRON connect app is available for both iOS and Android.


References

1.    ESH conference Milan, 2015, Prof. Dr. G.S. Stergiou.
2.    Lewington S, Clarke R, Qizilbash N, Peto R, Collins R. Prospective Studies Collaboration. Age-specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality: Ameta-analysis of individual data for one million adults in 61 prospective studies. Lancet. 2002 Dec 14; 360(9349):1903-13. Erratum in: Lancet 2003 Mar 22; 361 (9362):1060.
3.    European Society of Hypertension Practice Guidelines for home blood pressure monitoring, Journal of Human Hypertension (2010) 24, 779-785
4.    EHS/ISH conference 2014 in Athens, speech Prof. Dr. P.Padfield, Internal KOL research.
4.    Intelli Wrap Cuff Clinical Study with HEM-7321-E, Dr. G. Bilo et al. Italy 2015. Data on file.
5.    Jones DW, Appel LJ, Sheps SG, Roccella EJ, Lenfant C. Measuring blood pressure accurately: new and persistent  challenges. JAMA. 2003 Feb 26; 289(8):1027-30
6.    Lewington S, Clarke R, Qizilbash N, Peto R, Collins R. Prospective Studies Collaboration. Age-specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality: a meta-analysis of individual data for one million adults in 61 prospective studies. Lancet. 2002 Dec 14;360(9349):1903-13. Erratum in: Lancet 2003 Mar 22; 361 (9362):1060
7.    Wijsman LW et al. Evaluation of the Use of Home Blood Pressure Measurement Using Mobile Phone-Assisted Technology: The iVitality Proof-of-Principle Study. JMIR HMhealth/Uhealth 2016; 4:e67