The Most Accurate Blood Pressure Monitor For Home Use

Written by Kevin Garce in BP Explained

The first step in maintaining a healthy blood pressure is knowing your numbers. The blood pressure readings must be accurate to help accomplish your goals. Therefore, you’ll want to know, what is the most accurate blood pressure monitor for home use?

The most accurate blood pressure monitor for home use is the Welch Allyn 1700 Series. The Welch Allyn 1700 has been shown in studies to be the most accurate during excess arm movement and patient motion. Every year the 1700 has been consistent with the physician’s BP measuring device.

Accuracy may be the most important feature of a home blood pressure monitor. I’ll dive into the studies about its accuracy and how it’s performed flawlessly for me the past four years!

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The Most Accurate Blood Pressure Monitor For Home Use

The most accurate is a bold claim. It’s not something you want based on opinion. Therefore, I’ll inform you of studies on its accuracy and my personal experience.

Study Testing The Welch Allyn For Accuracy

While measuring your blood pressure, it’s important to stay relaxed but also not to move 1. Slight movements can change your blood pressure and give an inaccurate reading.

This first study 2 compared two blood pressure measurements. The first one was conducted under no motion. For the second measurement, the people were asked to flex their forearms every five seconds.

93 people were used in the study and the following six different blood pressure monitors were used.

  1. Welch Allyn
  2. Omron 10 Series
  3. iHealth BP5
  4. CVS Professional Blood Pressure Monitor
  5. A&D UA-767
  6. Foracare Fora P20B

Data was collected on the following:

  • Accuracy of readings.
  • The number of readings completed without error.
  • The time it took to complete a reading under no-motion and motion conditions.

The following results were observed:

  • The Welch Allyn captured the most readings without error under conditions of motion. The Welch Allyn had a 97% success rate while the others failed more than 50% of the time.
  • The Welch Allyn was the most accurate device under conditions of motion with an average error of 4 mmHg. The other monitors had errors of 7 mmHg or more, some over 12 mmHg.

While you probably won’t be flexing your forearm every five seconds taking your blood pressure, these results are impressive. All the monitors were tested under the same conditions and people with the Welch Allyn having the best accuracy by far.

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Welch Allyn Home app
My Personal Welch Allyn Home 1700

Welch Allyn 1700 Study

This study, conducted in 2019, evaluated the 1700 under simulated body movements 3.

As stated earlier, a person should remain still during a blood pressure measurement. For some people, it’s not possible. Many people with certain diseases have involuntary body tremors, like Parkinson’s Disease.

85 people were used in the study and a simulator was programmed to copy the frequency and impulses typically seen in patients with body tremors. The blood pressure measurements with tremors were performed at low, normal and high blood pressure simulations.

Accurate home monitors is one of 18 topics discussed in my article about home monitors. Check out the other topics in the article and learn more by clicking here, Home Blood Pressure Monitors – Things To Know.

The researchers found the Welch Allyn 1700 to be accurate during all three conditions with tremors 4. Diastolic differed between .60 and 4 mmHg. Systolic differed between 1.4 and 2.8 mmHg.

Unlike the first study, the movements used here simulate involuntary movements. For a person with a disease where their movements cannot be controlled, the Welch Allyn 1700 is a valuable tool in monitoring their blood pressure levels.

SureBp Technology Increases the Accuracy of the Welch Allyn 1700

The Welch Allyn 1700 comes with SureBP technology 5. Most hospitals and physician offices use Welch Allyn equipment including their blood pressure devices. Those medical devices also use the same SureBp technology.

SureBp technology enables the monitor to compensate for factors that can affect the accuracy of measurements. In addition, SureBp enables the monitor to measure in only 20 seconds. This makes the cuffed time less making it more comfortable for the users arm. More comfort translates to more accuracy.

The 20 second measuring time is the fastest of any other home blood pressure monitor. The 1700 measures blood pressure on inflation which enables it to measure so quickly. Longer inflation times can cause issues which can affect accuracy like:

  • Uncomfortable inflation squeezing of the upper arm.
  • Body movement.
  • More pain and annoyance for an elderly, frail person.

Welch Allyn 1700 Accuracy Compared to Professional Equipment

Now that I covered the studies and related technology. I would like to explain my personal experiences. I’ve owned my Welch Allyn for almost four years. As soon as I purchased it new, I immediately took it to the doctor’s office and had it checked for accuracy.

I was lucky to have been working in a medical facility at the time which made this very easy. Every new home monitor should be checked for accuracy at the next available physician appointment and every year after.

I’ve had my 1700 checked for accuracy more than every year. Every time it’s within 1 mmHg of their typical sphygmomanometer device. A nurse I know was so impressed, she purchased one for her mother to use when she was unable to do it for her.

Welch Allyn 1700 Cuff Sizes Improve Accuracy

The 1700 has three cuff sizes available, extra small, standard and extra large. The three cuff sizes give the 1700 the largest cuff size range available, 5.90″ to 21.25″. Why does this matter? The more sizes available means a person can have the correct size cuff for their arm.

A cuff, either too small or too large, will cause inaccurate measurements 6. Having a greater chance of measuring with the correct size cuff increases the chances of more accurate readings.

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Read Next – More BP Monitor Articles

Home Blood Pressure Monitors For Large Arms

Weck Allyn 1700 Accuracy

How To Use A Home Blood Pressure Monitor The Right Way

Article Resources: Blood Pressure Explained follows strict guidelines to ensure our content is the highest journalistic standard. It's our mission to provide the reader with accurate, honest and unbiased guidance. Our content relies on medical associations, research institutions, government agencies and study resources. Learn more by reading our editorial policy.
  1. Hypertension: Measurement of Blood Pressure in Humans: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association[↩]
  2. Welch Allyn: Home Blood Pressure Monitor Motion Tolerance Clinical Study – Research Summary[↩]
  3. Blood Pressure Monitoring: Validation of the Welch Allyn Home blood pressure monitor with professional SureBP algorithm with a special feature of accuracy during involuntary (tremor) patient movement[↩]
  4. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Validation of the Welch Allyn Home blood pressure monitor with professional SureBP algorithm with a special feature of accuracy during involuntary (tremor) patient movement[↩]
  5. Hillrom: Welch Allyn Home Blood Pressure Monitors[↩]
  6. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Blood pressure measurement[↩]

Kevin Garce

Kevin Garce is a Certified Health Coach who encourages people by informing them on blood pressure topics important to them. His years of research and knowledge inspire people to achieve their goals. Read more here About Me

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