THREE OF THE BEST HOME BLOOD-PRESSURE MONITORS

OMRON EVOLV UPPER ARM MONITOR €100, amazon.co.uk

THIS has a screen attached to a wide cuff. Once you press the start button, you can feel the cuff inflate and the result appears on the screen within 20 seconds.

The device maps your results in a chart that shows if you have hypertension. As people get older, it is the systolic reading (the top number) that is more concerning to doctors, as this naturally rises as we age.

BOOTS ADVANCED MONITOR WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ALERT €99.99, boots.ie

FOR everyday use, the instructions tell you to take two measurements with a minute’s gap inbetween. But in the ‘diagnostic mode’ — which you’re advised to use if you’re giving your results to a GP — you do three readings, with a minute’s gap in between. This means the reading is more reliable. Your blood pressure is dynamic and changes every minute, so you should not read too much into one reading but rather use a series of regular ones to find an average. This device can also pick up atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rate more common in older people who have high blood pressure.

iHEALTH WIRELESS WRIST MONITOR €39, amazon.co.uk

THIS monitor, which does not have a screen, is attached to the cuff and sends data to your phone via an app. When you press the start button, the app opens to show your blood pressure. It claims to have sensor technology which tells patients when it is in the right position. As with the Boots monitor, this device has been validated by the Irish Hypertension Society.