Pay a visit to the virtual doctor – for your BP test
Withings Connect BP Monitor
From €99 ★★★★★
Over the last 12 months, companies such as US-based Teladoc have popularised the virtual doctor’s visit. Also, increasingly, consumers are using their own Fitbits and Apple Watches to record, for instance, sleep or heart-rate data.
While this consumer technology shouldn’t be considered a medical device, they are useful for anyone who wants to gain some insight into their overall well-being.
Given that the makers of these devices are taking security and privacy seriously, I am now more inclined to start doing some of this self-monitoring.
One such device that you can buy for home is the Withings Connect Blood Pressure Monitor.
The Connect is a stylish and wellmade device. I was immediately struck by the durable, heathered fabric that the cuff is made from.
Attached to the cuff is a thin white tube, which has one button – that acts as a power button and also initiates readings. On the end of the tube is a USB socket where a USB cable can be attached to charge the device. Withings say that a full charge can last up to six months.
Setting up the Connect was straightforward and took less than ten minutes. I powered up the unit and opened the Withings Health Mate app on my smartphone.
It’s important to note, that you must use the app, either on iOS or Android, to set up the Connect, rather than a PC or Mac.
The Connect pairs with your phone and you will then see the Connect listed in the Devices section of the app. The app will also show you when the device last synchronised readings with your phone, as well as the battery life in the Connect.
You’ll need to set up a Withings Health Mate account if you don’t have one, and that’s important as gender and age will help the app show you benchmarks and information based on your demographic.
At any stage, you can add other members of your family to the app, so their readings can be taken and assigned to them. Up to eight people can be registered, and readings from a family can all be stored in a master account, or you can trigger a new account for each family member. Taking a reading is also straightforward. The cuff slips up your left arm, positioned near the top of the arm, over the bicep. The tube should be against the body with the Withings logo level with the heart.
Pressing the button activates the test, and the pump instantly starts tightening the cuff, with the test only taking a few minutes.
When the reading is complete and the pressure is being released, the results are flashed on to the Connect’s LED screen. First systolic, then diastolic readings, with a heart-rate reading added too.
Finally, the Connect flashes up your name, and you press the button to save the reading to your Health Mate account.
If there are multiple users registered to the device, you can cycle through the names, and assign the readings to the appropriate person. After the reading is taken, the results are also graded on the screen, with colour-coded feedback. A traffic light style system will illustrate how the reading is rated. I was familiar with the Health Mate app where the readings are stored, as I already use it to store bathroom scales readings. Withings have done a great job with their app and it’s easy to use and monitor trends for BPM and other readings, over time.
Some users may find the dotted LED screen difficult to read, and a regular screen might have been preferable. That said, the large numbers displayed meant I didn’t need glasses to see the results.
Also, Withings should have included a carry or storage case. .
This is an excellent piece of homehealth monitoring kit. It’s easy to use, well-made, priced fairly and the ability to keep an eye on a whole family’s stats make it a nice addition to any home’s digital medicine cabinet. For more information, see withings.com
A USEFUL ADDITION TO ANY HOME MEDICINE CABINET