Easy-to-use blood pressure monitor helps to keep the Silent Killer from sneaking up on you.
Technology has improved the ability of patients and doctors to optimize health. Patients can connect with apps like My Fitness Pal, Lose It, and monitor energy/food/intake. They can connect with various sensors for glucose control, oxygen, blood pressure, weight, and other biometrics. Some of these sensors have been embedded into clothing, while others into shoes, into gloves, into large exercise machines, rings/pillows, etc. Despite the technology, many still lack control of their diet and live sedentary, smoke-filled, gluttonous lifestyles. With an overabundance of salts, fats, and calories, our population has become obese. According to the CDC, 42.4% of Americans were obese in the year 2018. With the obesity pandemic, our people experience increased risks for heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, organ disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and possibly early death. Maybe it’s time we put our sensors and tech to work! With devices like the iHealth Track BP monitor, you can be the Author of your Own Health. It’s time to get off of your keester and move for a better you.
The iHealth Track Connected Pressure Monitor arrived in a clean appearing 6 1/4 inches wide by 6 3/8 inches tall by 3 5/8 inches thick retail case. Like many Apple accessories, the company utilized colorful imagery atop a sterile white background. The cover panel listed the “iHealth Track” name along the top of the cover panel, followed by a generic “Connected Blood Pressure Monitor” name, an image of an iPad/iPhone along the bottom left, and a Clinically Validated icon along the bottom right. Despite the emergency cone orange title, the main focus remained the obliquely angled image of the iHealth Track monitor. I loved the green LCD, the crisp number display, the grey font, the contrast between the white monitor and the white background color, the lower shadowing, and the little Bluetooth icon. Intelligently, the company continued the same vibrant color scheme throughout the other panels. The top panel provided a trilingual description of the simple three-step instruction process. Simply measure your blood pressure, see and sync the result, and then share with your doctor. The panel’s lower edge provided a QR code, Apple App Store/Google Play Store icons, and instructions to scan to install the iHealth App. Like the cover, the top panel’s midsection displayed attractive imagery of the monitor/BP cuff and phone using the App. The bottom panel provided a trilingual list of the packaging contents (1BP Track Blood Pressure monitor, 1 cuff, 1 user guide, 4AAA batteries), trademark information, and local/international addresses. The rear panel listed the orange/grey title across the top. It then provided an around the world description of the product specifications (package contents, KN-550BT model number, standard and XL cuff sizing, 4 x 1.5V AAA batteries, SBP range 60-260 mmHg, DBP range 40-199 mmHg. Pulse rate 40-180 bpm, BP accuracy + 3 mmHg, Pulse accuracy + 5%, operating temp 50F-104F/10C-40C,
To access the 8.2-ounce iHealth machine, remove the slipcover, lift the cardboard tab, and then pull it out of the cardboard caddy. The 3 13/16 inches square by 1 13/16 inches tall clean-white device displayed the iHealth logo along the top of the cover panel. I liked the discrete color scheme and felt that it added to the overall presentation of the machine. Along the left side of the 1 7/8 inches wide by 2 3./8 inches tall green LCD screen, you will find the words “Systolic” and “Diastolic” in the same grey font as the title. You will find PULSE/min along the lower right corner of the LCD screen as well. Located adjacent to the LCD screen, you will find two 3/4 inches wide by 3/4 inches tall function buttons. The upper button had a grey “M” and cloud icon, and the lower button had a START/STOP button. The front panel provided the BP cuff insertion port, the back panel had a small QR code, and the left/right panels had stickers detailing some of the device’s features. Next to the edge of the LCD screen, the panel provided information about the model number, 4AAA 1.5V batteries, manufacturing labels, FCC information, and the company address. The opposite side provided information about FCC rules. The lower panel provided a battery access port for the 4AAA batteries and two parallel 2 3/8 inches long by 3/16 inches wide by ~1/16 inches tall raised feet. I removed the main device, the upper cardboard caddy, and then pulled out the BP cuff, the instruction manual, and the iHEALTH thank you card. The sky-blue colored blood pressure cuff measured 22 3/4 inches long by 5 1/2 inches wide. The device had an 18 3/4 inches long velcro strip, “Artery Mark” in white font along the top (just adjacent to the plug, metallic buckle strap, and white ruler markings to show the appropriateness of the cuff size (more on this below). Located near the “Artery Mark” sign, you will find a 24 inches long grey air tube Jutting out from the BP cuff. The rear side of the 4.6-ounce BP cuff displayed left arm, 1-2c racial artery, Large Adult cuff, 22-42 cm, 8-21/32 -16-17/32-inch size.
Although the BP cuff installation seemed intuitive, I decided to peruse the manual before testing the product. The manual’s first page detailed the product contents and a ten-step “Few of the Basics:” 1. Relax for 5 minutes before taking your BP. 2. Sit comfortably at a table when measuring your BP. 3. The cuff should be placed at the same level as your heart. 4. DO not talk or move during the measurement. 5. Use the same arm every time. 6. Remove the batteries if storing the device. 7. Adults only. 8. Do not use if you have a severe rhythm issue of the heart. 9. Do not use any other cuffs with this machine. 10. Relax. The second page demonstrated the indicator LCD, the buttons and provided a nice paragraph about why you should connect this device to the free online App. I liked that you could use the device sans App, but I did not like that you could not change the date without pairing the device to the App. Before using the device, make sure that you have #4 AAA batteries installed into the lower compartment. As noted above, the company provided the Large Adult cuff (8.6″-16.5″ or 22cm-42cm). However, if you need a larger size, the XL cuff (16.5″-18.9″ 42-48cm) cuff is available for purchase as well. Starting with your left arm, orient the BP cuff so that the grey air tube is over the center of your bicep ~1 finger width above the crack in your elbow (antecubital fossa). Tighten the cuff until you can slide a single finger between the cuff and the bicep. With your feet planted firmly on the ground, not talking, nothing crossed, place your palm face-up upon a table, insert the airtime into the lower port on the device and then press the start button. If desired, you can take a reading while lying on your back (supine), or you can choose to use the device in your right arm. Excitedly, this process was as simple as it sounded.
If desired, you can use this device without the companion 3* IHealth My Vitals App or enhance the utility with the App. I navigated to the iOS App Store, downloaded the App, turned on all categories within Health, and then approved Bluetooth/Notifications. The App will then walk you through a series of screens before asking that you input information to log in. Add a photo (if desired), your first/last name (mandatory), and then enter a gender. The only options included male and female, which may offend some. The subsequent panel requested that I enter my birth date, height, weight, and country before setting up the App. Once you are logged into the App, select from amongst the list: Blood Pressure Monitors, Scales, Activity Trackers, or Thermometers. I chose the Blood Pressure Monitors, and then selected the iHealth Track from the list, pressed the M/Cloud button, and connected the device. The app’s main panel displayed My Vitals along the top of the panel and allowed you to view a graph of recent, week, month, and year vitals. If you tap the three horizontal bars along the top left of the panel, you can access My Vitals, Set UP my Devices, Blood pressure, Weight, Activity and Sleep, Pulse Oximeter, Thermometer, shop, support, Settings, and Contact US. If you have various iHealth devices, you can link the data within their respective sections on this App. When I tapped Settings, the App took me to another page with Goals, Units, Reminder, HealthKit, My Diary, Partner Services, and About. You can adjust a target weight, target blood pressure, step goal, adjust units between mmHg and kPa, kg/lb/st, km/miles, cm/feet, degrees C/F. The My Diary section provided a simple food diary/energy budget panel. In summary, the App was easy to set up, the pairing process was straightforward, and it was easy to navigate.
With my feet planted squarely on the floor and the BP cuff at heart level, I checked my BP in my left arm and then right arm. I repeated the process for my wife and then checked our readings in the supine position. After pressing the start button, the machine will display your BP in large numbers. Additionally, the screen will change from green to yellow to red based on the value observed. If your numbers were in the optimal to normal range, 91-129/61-84, the screen background would glow green. If you had a high normal BP (130-139/85-89), the screen would glow yellow. If you had grade 1 hypertension, 140-159/90-99, the screen would flash yellow. If you had grade 2 hypertension, 160-179/100-109, the screen would glow red, and if you had grade 3 hypertension, >180/>110, the screen would flash red. Once you have amassed data, you can visualize the numbers and trends; you can select the share button to send the data via Mail, Twitter, Facebook. My BP read on the higher side of normal after coffee and physical activity but normalized after the requested 5-minutes resting cycle. I compared the reading to my doctor’s clinic’s manual blood pressure cuff and found that the readings were within 5mmhg of the readings. I was pleased with the accuracy and precision of the readings. Additionally, I was pleased with the speed by which the device was able to check the BP and that it did not inflate beyond the point of comfort.
To summarize my experience, the clinically validated, FDA-approved, iHealth Track device arrived in an attractive yet useful outer package. The contents were well arranged, well packaged, and the setup process was elementary. I loved that they included the batteries, well thought out instructions, and provided the large cuff (Adult size). I absolutely loved the light-up LCD screen and the quick-view color-coded normal, moderate, high blood pressure color-gauge. Lastly, the App seemed easy to navigate and felt more polished than the 3* iOS App Store rating suggested. Despite all of the positives, I felt that they missed the mark by not including a carry case. My pulse ox, my IR thermometer, my manual sphygmomanometer, and most of the pharmacies’ devices had a case. Unfortunately, I could not understand why this device arrived sans case. I wanted to throw this into my backpack/overnight bag and was worried that the LCD would get scratched. A simple nylon bag or a faux-leather zip-up bag would have added the final touch to an amazing piece of personal health tech.
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