Omron 5 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor

As an anesthesiologist I check blood pressures all day long, so I definitely have some experience with blood pressure monitoring.

There are a few important things to look for in an automatic BP monitor. First and foremost, it must be accurate. An inaccurate BP monitor is not just worthless, it’s dangerous. Second, the cuff needs to be the correct size for your arm (this is part of accuracy). Even the most expensive BP monitor will give inaccurate readings if the cuff is too large or small for your arm. Finally, it should be easy to use, even without assistance. If checking your BP is a cumbersome process or one that always requires another person’s help, you won’t do it as often.

The 5 Series BP monitor by Omron hits all of these requirements:
1) It is accurate, and better still, its readings are reproducible. I verified this by comparing the Omron’s readings with blood pressures I took manually.
2) The D-ring cuff is appropriate for a very wide range of arm circumferences: from 9 to 17 inches (as measured midway between your elbow and your shoulder). (Omron does sell a smaller D-ring cuff for those with arms that are 7″ to 9″ in circumference.)
3) The D-ring cuff is MUCH easier to use when you are by yourself than standard BP cuffs. You just slip you arm through the cuff and pull it tight.
4) The numbers on the screen are large and very easy to read.

To me this 5 Series BP monitor hits the sweet spot of having everything you need in a quality monitor while staying at a good price point. The 3 Series stores far fewer readings than the 5 Series (14 vs. 100), and when you get to the 7 Series and above you are paying for features that are not really “essential” (in my opinion, anyway!).

A few tips for getting accurate readings from this monitor:
– Keep your arm as still as possible while the monitor is taking a reading — movement can cause erroneous readings
– Rest your arm on a horizontal surface
– Make sure the tube coming from the cuff runs down the center of your arm (the inside of your elbow) because that is where the “bladder” of the cuff is. If this part of the cuff gets rotated around to the back of your arm, you won’t get good readings.
– Don’t let the cuff slip down your arm; you don’t want it over your elbow. Not only could this affect your readings, but repeated measurements with the cuff over your elbow could cause injury to your ulnar nerve.

Hope this helps!

For the past several years I have been under a lot of work stress and my blood pressure has been fluctuating wildly and periodically. I kept saying to my boyfriend how I feel like I am going to have a heart attack or stroke because of all the stress. Unfortunately, after dinner with a friend a few days ago, I got up from my chair and felt very dizzy. I did not say anything to her until a day later. She said I probably had a blood pressure problem and suggested I order the Omron because that was what her doctor recommended.

I decided to do some research and looked at the reviews for several different manufacturers’ BP monitors. I kept coming back to this Omron 5. To me this is the best value for the money.

It did take some time to get use to and I read the manual several times. I also watched a couple of YouTube videos to get a general idea of the placement. (I put a link to the videos in the comments section of my review.)

After inserting the four AA batteries supplied, I set the date and time. This is important for those historical readings as I need to bring this to the doctor to show my BP values over time.

The most difficult part was pulling the cuff around my LEFT arm tight but not too tight and getting it about 1/2 inch above my elbow crease. Once I mastered that, everything else was a cinch. I made sure to have my feet flat on the floor and my arm at chest level with the tube leading down over my middle finger. Then I pressed start and after a little bit, I had my reading.

The systolic and diastolic pressures and pulse are displayed. There is also an irregular heartbeat symbol displayed if there is an irregular rhythm of two or more times during the measurement. There’s a movement error symbol as well; I made sure to stay very still.

It stores up to 50 readings per user and it has the ability store data for two users with the flip of a switch. I can store up to 100 readings if I use both user 1 and user 2 for myself. To retrieve the stored numbers, I just press the memory button. Pressing for more than 3 seconds provides an average value.

To clear the stored numbers, select the user ID (either 1 or 2), press the memory button and when the memory icon appears, hold start/stop button at same time for 3 seconds. Note that there are no partial deletions; it deletes all the numbers for that user.

I know that other reviewers have said that the system has to be calibrated. I did not have to do any of that, nor is that even mentioned in the manual. However, when I went to the doctor, they had me use this in front of them and the numbers were practically the same.

In summary, my girlfriend’s suggestion and this BP monitor may have saved me from a heart attack or stroke that could have taken my life or rendered me disabled. I wound up making an emergency visit to the doctor because my numbers were double what was normal. When I was checked, it was clear my BP was very high and medical intervention was necessary. Unfortunately, I am on BP medicine but do hope to wean off that one day. I use to always have BP of 120/80 until tremendous stress entered my life. I am hoping some increased walking and some other stress reduction techniques will work as my diet is excellent and salt intake extremely low. I am thankful for this monitor and although there may be other good monitors out there, I feel the cuff size is generous for even my boyfriend to use and the features a good balance for the $39.99 I paid.

received product in good condition and working well since last 3 days