Testing My New Nissei Blood Pressure Monitor
Posted by Bob Barcus on March 2nd, 2013
I've been battling high blood pressure for several years now. Until recently, I relied entirely on medication to control my HBP with daily doses of Lisinopril, Amlodipine and Carvedilol. Since I rebooted my life with a juice diet, my blood pressure has definitely been improving. Like everyone stricken with high blood pressure, it is important to regularly monitor your condition.
A couple of weeks ago, I got a new Nissei DSK-1011 Blood Pressure Monitor from Fagen Pharmacy over in Demotte, Indiana. Jerry Fagen is a pharmacist and a customer of mine and he recommended this new Nissei monitor - he even uses one himself. I was excited to try out a new monitor since I've been using my Reli-On monitor I got at Wal-Mart several years ago with less than stellar results. Given that I'm a geek at heart, I couldn't resist trying out a new piece of technology - especially one so important.
The Nissei DSK-1011 is designed for use on the upper arm, but they also make a blood pressure monitor for use on your wrist. The first thing I noticed when pulling the Nissei monitor out of the box is that it requires 4 AA batteries. Fortunately, I happened to have a package of Duracell batteries handy, so in they went.
The Nissei monitor isn't touch screen, but it has several touch buttons at the top of the screen. I was actually able to program the DSK-1011 without reading the manual. After all, who has time to read manuals? I slipped on the cuff, which attaches with the familiar Velcro hook-and-loop. The cuff was a little snug for my arm, but I was able to secure it without any trouble. I'm not sure if Nissei offers a larger cuff or not, but I could definitely see the need for it if my arm were any bigger. In fact, I had to purchase a large cuff for my Reli-On monitor in order to use it.
I sat back in my chair and hit the start button. The blood pressure monitor pumped itself up, which was a treat since my old monitor required me to manually inflate it with a squeeze bulb. The pressure generated by the DSK-1011 was gentle and smooth. I didn't really notice the tightening and there was little discomfort. It beeped as the pressure increased until finally stopping. A quick rush of air and the whole thing was over without much fanfare. With my old monitor, I had to sit there squeezing the bulb until I exceeded what I thought would be my systolic pressure. Sometimes, I would get it wrong and I would have to start over. Not the case with my new Nissei monitor since it takes your blood pressure as it is inflating - genius!
My experience with the Nissei DSK-1011 has been wonderful. I honestly check my blood pressure more often than I did before. It's not a chore and not filled with disappointment. I've taken readings on both arms multiple times to check it for consistency and it has fortunately been quite consistent in its readings, unlike my old monitor.
The Nissei monitor also has two memory banks, so if you have a friend or family member, you can both monitor your blood pressure and keep track of your numbers. As I sit here writing this blog post, my blood pressure is 116/75 with a pulse rate of 46 and a pulse pressure of 41. I feel like an athlete since I started my juice diet and I have the numbers to prove it!