Kitchen table review - A&D UA-851

Welcome to another of my Kitchen Table Reviews.  I aim to give validated blood pressure monitors the once over and look at them in terms of value for money, bells and whistles and ease of use.

Manufacturer: A&D Medical

Model: UA-851 Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor

Features:

•             Irregular Heart Beat (IHB) monitor

•             Blood pressure classification indicator

•             90 reading memory and an “average” reading

•             Extra large 3-line display for an easier read

•             One-touch management

•             SlimFit comfortable cuff

What’s in the box?

Open the box of your UA-851 and you will find the monitor.  What is clear from the start is that while the monitor is small enough to be portable, it really works best as a desktop monitor that you use on a regular basis.  The monitor comes with batteries, a standard A&D cuff which measures 22-32cm (fine for average people, however, if you have a larger upper arm you might want to enquire about a large cuff when purchasing), and a dust cover for the monitor.  The face of the UA-851 is clean, simple and large making it easy to read.  A large single button starts the monitor up and automatically inflates the cuff to begin your measurement.

The screen has big numbers on and both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure are clearly marked with the pulse beats per minute coming at the bottom of the screen. On the left hand side of the screen which has a battery indicator and the clever bits.

The monitor stands upright on a desk or a table and at the rear is a handy place to store the cuff.

Bells and whistles?

First off, the IHB or irregular heart beat monitor. What is this useful for. Well, if you know you suffer from an irregular heart beat or atrial fibrillation, this may well be able to detect it, although it is important to remember that the monitor can only pick up an irregular heart beat if it happens while you are having your blood pressure measured. Not everyone has “regular” irregular heart beats so it may not pick it up. It is, however, useful if you have a family history of stroke or irregular heart beat. Atrial Fibrilation is a risk factor for stroke and it is important that it is detected – this monitor may help you do this.

The other clever bit is the WHO Classification Indicator. WHO? They are the World Health Organisation based in Switzerland and interested in the health of us all globally. The WHO have a clear classification system which enables you to place yourself within a spectrum from optimal (120/80mmHg or below) through pre-hypertensive, mild and moderate hypertension all the way to severe hypertension. This monitor does it for you with a colour coded strip alongside the screen which clearly marks where you are in the classification.  Personally, I thought that this would be really useful for those doing occasional readings or who want to make sure that there blood pressure is staying where it should be.

Ease of use?

It is very easy to use. No need for an idiots guide as it is simply a matter of putting the cuff on properly, sitting down and pushing the single button.  All the figures are very clear and it provides what you need.

Memory

This is where the UA-851 stands out.  It has a 90 reading memory – more than enough for most people – so that you can keep an eye on your blood pressure readings over a period of time.  It also has an average reading function which will provide you with an average of all the readings in the memory as you take them and thus give you an idea of the direction in which your blood pressure is moving – a great feature if you are making some lifestyle changes or starting or changing medication.

Who is it suitable for?

This is a good monitor if you want to measure your blood pressure on a regular basis.  The desktop style of the monitor enables it to be left out which will mean you will probably remember to measure your blood pressure more often and the good memory and average reading function also helps.  And let’s not forget the pretty handy IHB (irregular heartbeat) function and the WHO band which gives you a very clear indicator of where your blood pressure stands against international guidelines.

Star quality

I will give this monitor 4 stars.  It is very easy to use, is clinically validated and has a 5 year guarantee.  It has a good memory and some nice bells and whistles.  It doesn’t attach to your computer which might be a negative for some, but all in all, a nice piece of kit.

Cost

The RRP of the UA-767Plus is around £69.99.  Mine was supplied by Experts in Blood Pressure products and they are selling it for £39.54 - so really good value for a clinically validated monitor.

Clinical validation details

The monitor is on the British Hypertension Society list of validated monitors. It has a European protocol pass.