CONTEC Ambulatory 24hr Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Continuously BP Monitoring Adult Cuff

Real Review 02/23/21 from a Satisfied Customer...Pros: 1) 24 Hr Ambulatory Options (+++ feature). 2) Programmable intervals for ABPM measurements as frequently as 15 minutes! 2) Sturdy & Convenient Over-the-Shoulder Carrying Case 3) Accurate BP Measurements, which include MAP readings. 4) Separate On-Demand and ABPM Readings (+++ feature) 5) PC Transferable data to share with your doctor(s) 6) Alarm Thresholds for High AND Low BP (+++ feature) 7) Long industrial hose for flexibility of positioning & consistent ease of access to the machine (which has been GREAT for me when sleeping with it and very comfortable). 8) Price-PointCons:1) No CD is included with this item. You receive download instructions attached to the box on how to access your software. You have to download additional software to access the software necessary to fully utilize all the features of the device.2) There is a password to turn on the sound/alarms (it is provided in the manual but was not easy to locate from the table of contents). I really don't see any purpose for this feature as it relates to sound.3) I would like to see a MAP Alarm too (upper and lower alarm threshold) in addition to the other thresholds for greater BP management and accuracy in identifying issues quickly, which would provide a more complete monitoring option.4) BP Cuff is a little difficult to get wrapped around your arm properly, one-handed. The clip provided helps make this process a little easier and with a little practice, it does get better. However, I would have liked to have seen the same type of self-adjusting cuff as one that comes standard with the Contec 08A, which is excellent for getting the cuff on quickly with an accurate fit (it's a no-brainer and adjusts quickly one-handed). If there was a way to trade my Contec 08A cuff out & simply attach it to my ABPM50, I would have, unfortunately they are not interchangeable.5) The manual is not very clear or straight forward in relation to all the features of the device or how to properly utilize the software. I learned pretty much from trial and error regarding the software.Personal experience:1) On-Demand Button: Mine gets stuck sometimes (I occasionally attempt to initiate 4 or 5 times to get it begin on-demand readings when first turning machine on and occasionally when in ABPM mode.2) Ease of Use: The machine is pretty simple to use once you get acclimated to its features. Some features are very straight forward straight out of the box without reading any instructions (for me a least); although, I am tech savvy and had familiarity with their Contec 08A, which is very similar in functionality, style and setup. My experience with the Contec 08A was the same on first use though, pretty straight forward of the box, where the need to read reading and acclimation was only necessary to access the deeper features, which not everyone will have need for.The cons and personal experience noted are NOT deal-breakers for me. The Pros FAR OUTWEIGH the cons & personal experience. This device has been exceptionally helpful to me overall and is very cost-effective in terms of the benefits and ease of mind that it provides & that's what makes this a five-star device.I would definitely buy again and HIGHLY recommend for anyone who needs to monitor their pressure. Excellent Device.

Despite the system’s flaws, its ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring capability was priceless for me- it completely changed my understanding of what my blood pressure was doing. I had been checking my BP frequently using a conventional cuff, because it was erratic and sometimes scarily high. The CONTEC unit let me see my real BP, measured over a full day and night, and it was normal! My own concern about my BP was causing it to jump up when I used a conventional cuff. With the ambulatory monitoring you soon get a bit bored with it, and the anxiety-triggered jumps go away. You do still see some high values, but those are due to you being active when the unit does the measurement.All of the criticisms of the User Manual are correct- it is terrible! Here are a few things I do:It is difficult to put the cuff on your arm, but once it is on you can carefully slide it off and on again without unwrapping it. Easy!To put the cuff on, drape the tube over your neck, and apply the cuff with the little ɸ symbol next to the inside of your elbow. Then put your shirt or top on. I don’t use the carrying bag, I just route the tube inside my shirt down to my hip on the side opposite to the cuff, pull the tube end up above my belt, plug in the main unit, and drop it in my pants’ pocket.To use the bathroom, I wait till just after a reading has been taken and then temporarily disconnect the main unit from the tube.To get a spot BP reading you can just press the green button. For ambulatory readings you have to work through the menus, choose the ABPM option, then set the On/Off option to Begin, then press the center button to start. Lastly you have to choose whether to delete your previous data or just add onto it. So if you need to remove the system for a while in the middle of a day you can long-press the center (OK) button to stop it, remove the system and do whatever you need to, reattach the system, and resume ABPM monitoring- just don’t delete your old data. Taking the system off for a few hours over the course of a day doesn’t hurt, you still get a good picture of how your BP is varying.In bed the readings will be slightly low if you are lying on your side opposite to the arm with the cuff. Not a big deal.You only need to do a day-long measurement once in a while, or if something changes.