Human factors and design evaluation of digital blood pressure/pulse meters

This study provides a comparison of self-measurement blood pressure devices, with respect to the standards published by the American National Standards Institute/Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation and statements from the American Heart Association and the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. The results show a wide disparity among the recommendations of select committees, on issues of education and compliance and on design features of this instrumentation. Procedural problems in determining compliance in this study highlight the need for improved objectivity in statements in national standards and for improved awareness of those statements by manufacturers.