Advice from the BP Measurement Experts
The SunTech team would like to remind you about the importance of keeping a healthy heart 365 days of the year. Our 24hr ambulatory BP technology continually helps detect high blood pressure in a remote setting, allowing for patients to stay comfortable at home and for physicians to ensure test accuracy outside of a clinical setting.
Cuff sizing should be easy, unlike the familiar and sometimes tedious process of wrangling a cat with a measuring tape. That is why at SunTech, we designed our vet cuffs with the users in mind. Our goal is to make your blood pressure measurements simple and effortless.
Did you know that 1 in 4 people worldwide don’t have a safe, reliable water source? This heartbreaking statistic highlights the fundamental reason that the SunTech team, along with our parent company Halma and its subsidiaries, have been diligently working to raise resources and funds to help combat the global water crisis. As a part of these efforts, SunTech has held raffles, hosted silent auctions and conducted community-wide cleanup projects to aid us in achieving our goals. Our community is off to a strong start, having raised $2,642. This is well over our 2022 goal of $2,000. This is a fantastic feat, and we believe that we can surpass our goal even further with continued dedication and diligent awareness efforts. To donate, please visit our JustGiving page.
In an effort to support widespread, life-saving initiatives, our SunTech family recently participated in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Heart Walk. The heart walk is a 30-yr old, national event that serves as the AHA’s primary source for funding. Specifically, companies and individuals from around the country are encouraged to both participate in and fundraise for their local heart walk to help combat the No. 1 and No. 5 killers in our country: heart disease and stroke.
SunTech Medical recently released a new logo and overall brand refresh. Nothing about this change will impact the high level of service that we strive to provide each and every customer. However, we are sure there are questions about this rebrand and we wanted to help answer them. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions that aren’t answered here.
As patients, we expect our healthcare providers to consistently deliver accurate results that inform us on our health conditions. Yet, we often fail to hold ourselves to that same expected level of accuracy and control while we are caring for our own minds and bodies outside of a clinic.
Why then should accurate and controlled blood pressure monitoring be a priority?
As international leaders in the field of blood pressure diagnostics, we are familiar the difficulties and concerns related to controlling hypertension. Despite how hard controlling blood pressure can be, it is very important. Being equipped with the knowledge to control your BP can help empower you to take better control of your health. That’s why we, as well as the International Society of Hypertension, have gathered a list of helpful tips and tricks that you can adopt to help yourself decompress and control your blood pressure.
Eight simple suggestions for controlling your blood pressure:
Did you know that high blood pressure, or hypertension, is the leading cause of a preventable death worldwide? In fact, over 10 million lives are lost to high blood pressure every year, and tragically, only half of this affected population is aware of the condition’s impact on the quality and longevity of their lives.
If hypertension is infamously fatal, then why is a large portion of the population unaware or mistreated for this condition? A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension suggests that a discrepancy could increase by home blood pressure monitoring devices measuring inaccurately up to 70% of the time, causing many hypertensive individuals to go undiagnosed by clinicians.
Here at SunTech, we take great pride in manufacturing quality blood pressure monitors that enable people globally to accurately measure their blood pressure. To ensure correct measurement techniques, we have compiled a list of factors to consider while you are roll up your sleeves and getting to know your numbers.
Yes. At SunTech, we believe that knowing two numbers (systolic and diastolic blood pressure) can help change the world. The better we know our numbers, the better equipped we are to monitor and manage our health.
We invite you to join SunTech as we celebrate World Hypertension Day on Tuesday May 17th, 2022. World Hypertension Day is an awareness event initiated by the World Hypertension League to emphasize the prevalence and dangers of hypertension, as well as promote healthy practices to monitor and manage the condition. Stay tuned to learn more about this year’s theme of accuracy, control and living longer as we publish our 3-part blog series for World Hypertension Day.
Have you heard the requirement for blood pressure (BP) readings that the cuff must be at the same height as the patient’s heart? You may already be aware that this is necessary for all oscillometric monitors to get the most accurate readings possible.
But why is this necessary for accuracy?
SunTech’s mission or Massive Transformational Purpose (MTP) is:
Saving & extending lives by enabling the world to know their vascular health
It is really exciting when we get the chance to support other organizations who share a similar mission, such as the American Heart Association. The American Heart Association funds more cardiovascular and stroke research than any U.S. organization except the federal government. Some of the activities that the AHA funds include:
There are a couple of foolproof ways to tell if your BP cuffs are getting worn out.
When it comes to the diagnosis of high blood pressure, or hypertension, in patients, many health organizations, including the American Heart Association, recommend either Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) or home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM). This is recommended for most patients with high in-office BP readings.
These two methods of diagnosing hypertension are often considered superior to solely relying on in-office BP readings, which might offer a misleading picture of your patients’ health and could lead to misdiagnosis and over or under-medication.
But what are the differences between ABPM and HBPM? Does one practice offer any inherent benefits over the other?
The rate of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) studies is on the rise with more and more clinical organizations recommending ABPM for routine hypertension. While patients are familiar with office and home blood pressure monitors, ABPM remains a relatively unknown procedure. How do you explain ABPM to your patients and ensure you get the compliance you need for accurate diagnosis and treatment?
A patient with high BP readings in the office is a prime candidate for ABPM to confirm diagnosis of hypertension. The American Heart Association recommends either ABPM or home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) for most patients with high in office BP readings.
We are very excited to announce the release of a new Vet BP Monitor carrying case made for our Vet monitors. This new case adds both a new level of utility as well as protection to our already rugged and colorful Vet BP monitors.
This case was specifically designed with our veterinarians and vet techs in mind. The durable nylon case fits any of our SunTech Vet BP monitors with their monitor accessories and has 2 large pockets on each side for cables or cuffs. Having all your BP equipment organized in this case makes moving everything from one patient room to the next a breeze.
Going off-site? Easily transport the monitor holding the top handle or simply attach the adjustable shoulder strap and wear it over the shoulder. Love pockets? We do too! There is yet another large pocket on the bottom of the case that is detachable and holds large, flat items such as equine size cuffs.
Good news! Our Vet BP Free Item Promotion has now been extended until March 31st, 2021 due to popular demand!
Here's how you can get a pack of 6 cuffs, a monitor carrying case, or an AccuVet temperature probe FREE.
After your purchase of a Vet30, Vet25E, or Vet30E monitor, go to our website to register your device and enter in one of the rebate codes below.
Could poor sleep or not enough sleep lead to an increase in your blood pressure (BP)? It’s not fully understood how and why, but it’s thought that sleep helps regulate stress hormones and helps your nervous system to remain healthy. Over time, lack of sleep could hurt your body’s ability to regulate stress hormones, leading to high blood pressure (hypertension).1
Dr. Michael Grandner, Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, says, “Hypertension is a key cardiovascular risk factor. There are now many studies that have been able to show that insufficient sleep and poor sleep quality are related to the development of high blood pressure and other aspects of heart disease.” Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Those with this disorder have been found to be at higher risk of hypertension.2
It can be hard to stay on top of all the news about the coronavirus pandemic and the various symptoms and risk factors. How is blood pressure related to the risk of COVID-19? Should I keep taking my blood pressure medications? Is it too risky to go to the doctor or hospital during the pandemic? SunTech Medical, the leader in blood pressure technology and solutions, has put together the following resources to help you answer those questions and more.
Revisions to CMS guidelines on ABPM reimbursement make it the perfect time to offer 24-hour out-of-office blood pressure measurement to your patients. For more information on reimbursement, see our 2020 ABPM Reimbursement FAQ.
A surprising number of clinicians fail to accurately measure blood pressure according to a recent joint survey of more than 2,000 healthcare professionals conducted by the AMA and the American Heart Association. One of the most striking highlights were only 1 in 10 medical assistants were able to answer all 6 of the best-practice in blood pressure (BP) measurement questions.
According to American Medical Association (AMA) president Dr. Patrice, Harris, “Hypertension is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and preventable death in the U.S. Inaccurate blood pressure readings can lead to diagnosis errors, which means getting an accurate reading is vital to treating the condition.”
A recent study published in the journal Hypertension found an increase in high blood pressure (hypertension) cases during pregnancy. By reviewing CDC data on >151 million women between 1970 and 2010, the researchers found a 6% yearly increase in hypertension. The implications being complications for the mother, such as preeclampsia, or an increased risk of preterm birth.
Although the need for accurate BP measurement is clear, the joint survey showed the gap in BP knowledge that many healthcare professionals have. The most frequently missed best-practice question was about proper cuff-wrap-inflation, followed by proper brachial artery cuff position. Both factors are critical to getting an accurate BP reading. Even though the healthcare professionals surveyed were aware of the opportunities for error in BP measurement, BP refresher training is reported to be infrequently held.
The same AMA-AHA survey suggested that healthcare professionals believe up to 41% of BP measurements taken across all medical practices are less than 100% accurate. Although the overall error rate was acknowledged, most respondents felt that their practice was better than the norm.
To ensure an accurate reading, consider these 10 factors that can affect blood pressure readings and advice from our Clinical Manager:
Additional Resources:
To learn more about the basics of BP, see this TedEd on How blood pressure works by Wilfred Manzano.
Want to try your hand at taking a BP reading? Check out this BP simulation.
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