NEWS — MAY - JUNE 2007
BLOOD PRESSURE & OTHER MONITOR NEWS
A Blood Pressure Monitor For Women:
In early May 2007, A&D Medical (Milpitas CA) and Wal-Mart introduced the UA-787REL blood pressure monitor for women, the latest addition to A&D Medical's ReliOn® brand. The device is a clinically validated monitor that will help women who use it to assess their blood pressure at home. Features include a pressure rating indicator, irregular heartbeat detector, 90-memory capacity with average reading, and a lifetime warranty.
Cardiovascular disease accounts for 38% of all deaths among females (A&D Medical's press release). Several organizations and government agencies are campaigning to raise awareness of the risk, including the American Heart Association and the National Institute of Health.
Morning Blood Pressure Measurements:
An extensive article published by Pharmacy Times (June 2007) examines the phenomenon of "morning hypertension", a blood pressure surge that occurs when individuals rise each day. Some have high blood pressure from night to morning (non-dippers), while others demonstrate the morning surge and a nighttime blood pressure that is 20%+ lower than during the day. In individuals who do not have high blood pressure, the morning surge (typically seen from 6 a.m. to noon) is a variation associated with morning stress upon rising (which normalizes later). There appears to be a correlation of morning surge pressure with the circadian rhythm.
For more, visit Pharmacy Times or Morning BP.
Suunto's T Series Heart Rate Monitors:
Heart rate monitors are typically geared toward serious amateur or professional athletes. Suunto (Finland) is marketing a heart rate monitor/watch device that helps people who want to optimize their exercise routines and analyze the workout data. The T Series of monitors come in four models: T1, T3, T4, and T6. For casual use, the T1 is easy to use. With analog transmission and alarm functions, the t1provides real-time analysis of calories burned along with average heart rate and zone training. Customers can select from four colors: black, coral, olive, and polished brick.
Two of the models (T3 and T4) are for serious athletes, providing the same basic parameters as the T1 along with speed and distance, alarm, date, and watch functions. The T3 includes a "training effect" feature showing real-time aerobic benefits on a scale of one to five. Through the Suunto Coach, the T4 incorporates an "adaptive training advisor" to monitor progress and modify the workout plan in duration, frequency, and intensity.
The premier monitor in the series is the T6, which is designed for individuals who participate in endurance sports, providing functions that record as many as seven parameters and software to enable downloading of the data to a computer for analysis and planning. In addition to heart rate, the device includes an altimeter, graphic barometer, logbook, and watch functions (alarm, date, and time).
The T3, T4, and T6 models use digital transmission to minimize interference, and all three are compatible with Suunto's wireless Peripheral Observation Devices, which can be used for specific tasks such as professional training and team management. There are bike and foot versions to monitor distance, speeds, intervals, lap times, pace, etc.
For more information, visit the Suunto web site or call 800.543.9124 (U.S.)
The SunTech Medical 247™ Diagnostic Station:
In late June 2007, SunTech Medical (Research Triangle Park NC) had its 247™ Diagnostic Station device cleared for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA; Rockville MD). Bridging the gap between manual sphygmomanometers and vital signs devices, the 247 Diagnostic Station offers automated and manual blood pressure monitoring with modular plug-and-play components that can be added later to measure SpO2 and temperature. The product is the first clinical grade monitor with automated blood pressure measurement and manual back-up mode, which ensures accuracy and reliability for health care and medical providers, even in difficult situations. The device is an affordable substitute for mechanical blood pressure gauges, with flexible mounting options (mobile stand, table-top, and wall). Global distribution is planned for August 2007.
For more information, visit: SunTech Medical.
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