A&D Medical – PMS Instruments

Undiagnosed High Blood Pressure – The Silent Killer

According to new estimates produced by The British Heart Foundation, four million people under the age of 65 in the UK are living with untreated high blood pressure with further analysis finding that 1.3 million of these people are under the age of 45.

As well as significantly raising the risk of heart attack and stroke, it can also be the cause of an increased risk of vascular dementia, raised cholesterol and diabetes.

Getting your blood pressure under control is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Checking your own blood pressure with an A&D Medical clinically validated BP monitor is an easy and inexpensive way to understand if you are one of the millions of people across the UK living with undiagnosed high blood pressure and giving you the information needed to get the correct treatment and advice.

Taking a blood pressure reading takes less than 5 minutes and can be done in the comfort of your own home not just in a doctor’s surgery or pharmacy.

Many people assume that high blood pressure is generally associated with older, overweight or unfit people. Though these conditions can lead to a high risk of heart attack and stroke, many people with an active lifestyle can also fall victim to this silent killer.

A considerable number of young people in the UK aged 16 to 24 unknowingly have risky high blood pressure too.

Stessful workplace environments are a major cause of high blood pressure with busy people all too easily putting the issue to the back of their minds.

Ordering an A&D Medical clinically validated BP monitor and getting your blood pressure under control is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

With waiting lists at an all time high and the NHS under more pressure than ever before, acting now could give you the greatest opportunity to receive the life-saving treatmment you may need.

PMS Instruments stock a vast range of blood pressure monitors with different cuffs sizes to suit every individual.

So don’t become a statistic, order yours today and give yourself the best chance of taking the necessary steps to avoid long-term harm.

Cuff Size Matters

Blood pressure monitors with an upper arm cuff provide the most accurate blood pressure readings but using the correct cuff size is really important in order to avoid inaccurate results.

Ensure the cuff is the correct size

If the cuff you use is too small for the arm, your blood pressure reading will be artificially high. If your cuff is too large, you may get a lower-than-actual reading. This is known as miscuffing.

On people with big arms, a large cuff is needed and as a general rule the inflatable bladder in the cuff needs to encircle at least 80% of the arm. The width of the cuff should be at least 40% of the arm circumference.

Measure your arm

To make sure you are using the correct size cuff for your arm place a tape measure around the bicep, at mid-arm to measure the arm circumference in cm. The left arm is typically used.

Typical cuff sizes

Not all blood pressure monitors can use different sizes of cuffs. Check with us first to make sure your digital A&D Medical UA and UM series or Meditech ABPM device can.

Typical cuff size ranges are as follows but can vary by manufacturer. For A&D UA series monitors the following cuff sizes are available.

Small fits an upper arm between 16-24 cm
Adult fits an upper arm between 22-32 cm
Semi-large fits an upper arm between 23-37 cm
Wide range fits an upper arm between 22-42 cm
Large adult fits an upper arm between 31-45 cm

Wide range cuffs like that supplied with the A&D Medical UA-1020-W are becoming popular with clinicians as one cuff can be used across a wider arm circumference range. This monitor can also use a small cuff.

All A&D Medical and Meditech cuffs have visual range markers to make cuff positioning easier and ensure the correct size is used. When applied correctly the cuff should wrap snugly around the arm with just enough space to slide two fingertips underneath.

One cuff does not fit all and using the correct cuff size is important both for healthcare professionals in a clinical setting and the public when buying monitors for home use.

At The Heart Of Healthcare Technology For 48 Years!

As we celebrate our 48^th year in business I’ve recently taken a nostalgic look back over the various innovative products PMS have introduced to the UK healthcare market since 1975.

Some of them really were ahead of their time and have led to the development of subsequent products still in use today. Here I take a look back at a few of the more notable ones.

1994 – A&D Medical TM-2421 24 Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring System

The UK’s first dual method, Korotkoff Sound/Oscillometric 24 hour BP monitor, it proved to be very popular from 1994 to 2007 when it was replaced by the improved A&D TM-2430 24 Hour BP monitor.

1995 – E – Z Therm The 3 Second Thermometer

This was one of the UK’s first Tympanic thermometers. It was very popular and sold in large numbers. The fast measurement time meant it was popular for use in children and as a replacement for Mercury thermometers.

1997- A&D Medical UA 767 Digital Blood Pressure Monitor

The classic low cost and easy to use three in one digital BP monitor that gave systolic, diastolic and heart rate simultaneously on a large LCD display. Clinically validated it was popular with GPs and Hospitals as well as being used for clinical research. The latest generation is the A&D Medical UA-767 + AFib still one of our most popular digital BP monitors used extensively by the NHS.

2003 – Meditech Merlin ECG watch

Ahead of its time and before Smartwatches were available the Merlin watch was a low-cost ECG event recorder designed to capture transient arrhythmias. It was easy to wear and activate and could store up to 15 minutes of ECG recordings. PMS sold the watch until 2013 when it was discontinued by Meditech. It led to the development of the Meditech CardiUP3! Holter ECG. The latest AliveCor KardiaMobile 1L and 6L are great examples of how mobile ECG technology has moved on.

2009 – Tidi Disposable Cuff Barriers

Originally introduced by PMS as a cost-effective alternative to expensive single use blood pressure cuffs and as a hygienic solution to using fabric cuffs. They are still by the NHS today and were especially popular during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introducing these products helped establish the PMS Instruments ethos of being At The Heart Of Healthcare Technology and to the development our innovative product range which still includes 24 hour blood pressure monitors, waiting room and digital blood pressure monitors, and mobile, resting and Holter ECG monitors.

Identify More Hypertensives With A Waiting Room Blood Pressure Monitor

Guidance on preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) was originally published in 2019 and was updated this year. Optimal treatment of AF, high blood pressure and raised cholesterol is highly effective in preventing CVD events.

Over 40% of people with high blood pressure remain undiagnosed and of those diagnosed with high blood pressure, only 67% are optimally managed.

How do we diagnose and manage more effectively?

GP Practices are encouraged to actively screen patients and seek out hidden hypertensives. To the average practice this could mean hundreds of extra appointments for a simple blood pressure measurement.

They need help in the form of the easy to use, clinically validated A&D Medical TM-2657P waiting room blood pressure monitor.

Originally the idea of allowing patients to measure their own blood pressure was greeted with scepticism by some clinicians, but practice managers were quick to see the advantages.

Ideally located in a quiet corner of the waiting room, this type of monitor is designed for professional high volume use and automatically prints a reading, with the date and time, on a small slip of paper.

The patient usually shows this reading to the doctor or nurse at the beginning of the consultation and if the readings are too high or low they can then re-measure. In some practices patients hand results to a member of the reception team, who record it electronically for later review.

For practice managers, they offer good management and effective use of resources freeing clinical staff for other roles where they may be better utilised. Some practices report they ‘save’ up to 100 appointments per month on average.

For patients the feedback is positive and the monitors promote understanding and compliance.

Recently we have been involved in a couple of projects looking to target patients who don’t visit a GP regularly or have access to another healthcare provider. TM-2657P blood pressure monitors have been placed in public access buildings like Libraries and Pharmacies.

They have identified new undiagnosed hypertensives with elevated blood pressure and helped manage existing hypertensive patients promoting medication compliance.

PMS Instruments. Expertise, Experience and Trust for service, calibration and support.

These are the key words our customers associate with PMS Instruments, as well as being the fundamental foundations of our calibration and service department.

Back in 2016 I posted an article with a picture of an A&D Medical TM-2655P waiting room blood pressure monitor that had recorded a staggering 103,366 readings since we originally supplied it in 2004!

Since then, we have calibrated and serviced a number of A&D Medical waiting room blood pressure monitors that have recorded in excess of one hundered thousand readings!

At PMS Instruments as an ISO-9001 Quality Assured company we keep detailed service and calibration records for every item of equipment we service and repair.

What’s the secret of this reliability and low cost of ownership?

I am convinced it is regular, preventative and routine servicing by PMS Instruments which extends the ‘in service’ life of the monitors and prolongs the investment our customers make in their equipment.

How does the service you get from PMS Instruments differ?

The A&D Medical TM-2655P and TM-2657P waiting room blood pressure monitors are specialist instruments, requiring specialist knowledge and test equipment.

With every service and calibration PMS Instruments carries out, each monitor is subjected to an approved individual ISO-9001 quality assured Work Instruction. This comprises a series of up to 70 detailed steps our service engineers must follow, and which the product must pass, in accordance with the manufacturer’s service manuals.

You get so much more from PMS Instruments than the basic 10 minute on site functional test some companies offer.

Our popular Fixed Price Service and Support Plan includes:

Annual calibration of your device and detailed calibration certificate issued.
Priority unlimited telephone and technical support.
Fixed price servicing cost.
Fast priority response for all servicing and repairs.
20% discount off non standard service items including pumps
Standard service parts and consumables including filters.
Replacement of the cotton cuff inner.
Supply of premium packing box and material included.
Courier collection and return included.
Priority turnaround time typically 3-5 working days from receipt of equipment.
Inclusive annual service and calibration to manufacturer’s specification.

You get what you pay for…

PMS Instruments’ service and calibration team are certified to ISO-9001 and use only genuine manufacturer approved spare parts.

Depending on the model it can take up to 90 minutes for our Service Engineers to adjust, calibrate and service an A&D Medical waiting room blood pressure monitor and we are the experts at it! Rapid turnaround time means minimum downtime and a full service and calibration certificate is issued.

Not convinced and still want to use another company?

Can the company you use tell you how many readings your waiting room blood pressure monitor has taken during its lifetime? If they can’t schedule your service and calibration with PMS Instruments and we will.

Monitoring Your BP At Home

Monitoring your blood pressure at home and can be a way to feel more in control of your own health and wellbeing. Your GP may even have recommended you take your own BP measurements at home so that you know your numbers.

But which home BP monitor to buy? There are so many now on the market, available from anywhere from your local supermarket to large online retailers. The options can seem over whelming. It needn’t be.

When choosing a BP monitor we would recommend you check for 3 things

Has it been clinically validated? This means it has been tested and approved by the British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS) and will it provide arcuate and reliable readings.
Is it fully automatic as these are the easiest monitors to use at home.
The cuff fits your arm. Cuffs come in a range of sizes but most monitors are supplied with a standard adult cuff which will fit an arm measuring 22-32cm. The cuff should wrap snugly around your upper arm, with just enough space to slide two fingertips underneath.

You can purchase an additional cuff which will fit your arm if your arm is either smaller or larger than a standard cuff size.

Or look for a monitor with a wider range cuff such as the A&D Medical UA 767S-W which is supplied with a wide ranging cuff which will fit an arm measuring 22-42 cm. For more of the monitors features Click here

The A&D Medical UA 767S + AFib is a popular choice for its proven record of reliability and wide use across the UK with GP surgeries and within the NHS. It also comes with a 5 year warranty. For more of the monitors features Click here

PMS Instruments can supply you with a BP monitor to suit you, your needs and your budget.

The ISO 80369-5 BP Cuff Standard

ISO80369-5 was developed as an international standard to prevent cuff connection errors with different types of medical devices that use the same or similar connectors. Whilst connection errors were few and far between they could have fatal consequences.

The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) reported several real life incidents involving misconnections.

In one a blood pressure cuff was accidentally connected to an Intra Venous (IV) catheter.

A patient had an IV catheter in their arm but no IV fluids had been started. The patient also had an automatic BP cuff fitted on the same arm for continuous monitoring. The BP cuff tubing was disconnected from the blood pressure monitor while the patient went to the bathroom.

When she returned, her spouse accidentally connected the BP cuff tube to the IV catheter and approximately 15 mL of air was delivered to the IV catheter by the blood pressure monitor.

Unfortunately the patient died from a fatal air embolus, despite resuscitation efforts.

As a precaution and so this can’t happen again new ISO connectors are being introduced on blood pressure cuffs to ensure correct device connections, even in complex working environments and avoiding fatal consequences.

Japanese company A&D Medical are one of the first manufacturers of clinically validated digital blood pressure monitors to have introduced ISO-80369-5 connectors to their blood pressure cuffs and monitors.

The latest UA-651SL Plus is compliant with the ISO80369-5 regulation. It features A&D Medicals latest 4th generation Electric Control Exhaust Valve (ECEV) which precisely controls cuff deflation.

This low cost digital monitor can use 4 different cuff sizes for arm sizes ranging between 16cm – 45cm, including small, adult and large cuffs.

In the UA-651SL Plus A&D Medical are one of the few manufacturers to have a model that can use small, adult and large adult cuffs.

It’s important to note that ISO80369-5 cuffs cannot be used with non-compliant ISO80369-5 blood pressure monitors and they are not interchangeable with earlier models.

Save time and money one measurement at a time

At around £1,500.00 is the A&D TM-2657P waiting room blood pressure still worth the money?

Self patient blood pressure measurement devices like the A&D TM-2657P are not new and there are now several hundred in use in the UK since they were first introduced by PMS Instruments 17 years ago in 2002.

Sited in the waiting room, for many Practices they are an integral part of their long term medical conditions clinics allowing them to work smarter, not harder, whilst helping patients take ownership of their conditions and play a more active role in their treatment.

A number of GP practices have adapted established protocols whereby patients pass their blood pressure results to the reception team and are then advised as to whether there is a need for further clinical follow up.

The protocol needs to be easy to follow and comprehensive to ensure that the receptionist is taking no responsibility for a clinical decision. When implemented correctly, after suitable training the process works very well.

Why is all this relevant to Primary Care and the NHS?

When this type of service is introduced anecdotal evidence from PMS Instruments GP customers suggests that waiting room BP monitors are used by up to 240 patients every month and only 80 of them require any further intervention. This represents a potential “saving” of over 160 face to face GP clinical appointments.

Let’s do some maths!

According to NHS England, the average GP appointment costs £30 so in the example above that’s a saving of £4800 to the NHS every month.

So the payback period in terms of time saved and the initial £1500 cost of the monitor is established but what are the other benefits?

It’s about time.

According to a report published in Pulse in August 2019, over half of GPs have said the average waiting time for non-urgent appointments at their practice is now over two weeks.

Anything that can help reduce this must be a good thing and waiting room blood pressure monitors like the TM-2657P can.

With the protocol above Doctors and nurses who want to monitor a patient’s blood pressure ask the patient to use the waiting room BP monitor and they only need to see a Doctor if their readings move out of an agreed range. Patients can do this at any time the practice is open freeing up valuable appointment time.

Nurses who run chronic disease clinics can also ask patients to monitor their blood pressure before coming to their clinic. Apart from saving nursing time it gives an immediate focus to the consultation.

Public Health England and NHS England have agreed ambitions and a goal over a 10 year period to improve the detection and treatment of high blood pressure with the following targets

80% of the expected number of people with high BP are diagnosed by 2029
80% of the total number of people diagnosed with high BP are treated to target as per NICE guidelines by 2029

How do we achieve these objectives when Primary Care is already overstretched?

In this instance the technology, in the form of waiting room BP monitors, already exists we just need to encourage wider adoption and not be afraid to adopt new approaches.

Time is money as the saying goes and the A&D TM-2657P saves time and money one measurement at a time.

Detecting Irregular Heartbeats (IHB)/AFib Using A&D’s Latest Blood Pressure Monitors.

A&D have a long history and pedigree in pioneering innovation and the development of blood pressure monitors with leading edge functions. With over 40 years of patient-focused thinking it has made them one of the leading blood pressure manufacturers in the world. Their latest clinically validated digital monitors feature a new 2^nd generation IHB/AFib algorithm to detect an irregular rhythm during a measurement.

It is currently available in the latest 2019 versions of the UA-767S AFib+ and UA-767S-W AFib+ from leading distributor PMS Instruments and will be available in more models soon.

It’s the latest development of an Irregular Heartbeat (IHB) detector and algorithm originally pioneered by A&D in 2014. With this feature as well as the existing World Health Organisation (WHO) blood pressure classification index introduced in 2003, A&D monitors really are at the Heart of Healthcare Technology.

Why is the detection of Atrial Fibrillation important?

AFib is an irregular heart beat that can lead to strokes and other heart related conditions.

The NHS long term plan (NHSLTP) recently published ambitious targets for Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) and high Blood Pressure detection over the next 10 years.

For Atrial Fibrillation the targets are

That 85% of the expected number of people with AF are detected by 2029

That 90% of people with AF who are known to be at high risk of stroke to be adequately anti-coagulated by 2029.

The A&D UA 767S Afib+ and UA-767S-W Afib+ with %IHB/AFib detection could help with these aims.

The monitors classify the %IHB into 4 different grades showing how often an IHB has been detected during the measurement and illustrated by an icon.

0% no indication

1 – 9% grade 1

10 – 24% grade 2

25 – 100% grade 3

This feature is for monitoring purposes only and we recommend contacting your doctor if the grade is high.

This new feature has been clinically validated and published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension J Clin Hypertens. 2017;19:1143–1147 Tomoyuki Kabutoya et al. The paper concludes that the new algorithm had high diagnostic accuracy for detecting AF and a low false-positive rate.

Why Buy A Clinically Validated Blood Pressure Monitor?

The sales team at PMS often get asked the same questions from customers wanting to purchase a blood pressure monitor. Questions like which one would you recommend and which is the best one we sell will depend on the features a user is looking for and their budget.

One question we are always happy to answer is “What does clinical validation mean?”

Many customers are familiar with the CE mark on consumer electrical items.

Medical devices like blood pressure monitors must also have a CE mark by law. The CE mark means that, provided you use it correctly, the device will work properly and is safe but doesn’t mean it will necessarily give accurate readings or that it is clinically validated.

Whether you are going to record your blood pressure at home or in a clinical setting surely accuracy is the whole point of buying a monitor in the first place!

When a manufacturer like Meditech or A&D Medical state their product is “clinically validated” it means an independent validation of the device has been performed by a professional group

The most common validation protocols are the British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS), formerly British Hypertension Society, the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol (ESH-IP), and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

While each of the protocols may have many similarities, there are some differences in their testing requirements. In many cases, however, a product that passes one protocol may also satisfy the criteria of other protocols as well. Recently, the AAMI, ESH, and ISO experts agreed to develop a single universally acceptable standard (AAMI/ESH/ISO), which will replace all previous protocols.

Often, the clinical validation report is published in a peer-reviewed journal like Blood Pressure Monitoring. Publication in a peer-reviewed journal is essential because of the rigorous review processes a clinical validation must go through to make sure there are no protocol violations and the chosen validation protocol has been adhered to.

The time and conditions demanded by the various protocols are extremely difficult to fulfil as a large number of subjects have to be recruited, a wide range of blood pressures are required and it can be difficult to recruit skilled staff . They can also be expensive.

There is a great overview of the detailed process involved from the Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring of the European Society of Hypertension here.

For these reasons not every blood pressure manufacturer will conduct a clinical validation.

PMS Instruments only distribute blood pressure monitors from manufacturers that do. Clinical validation provides so much more than a CE mark!

Whether you are a healthcare professional, or someone looking to keep a check on their blood pressure at home a clinically validated blood pressure monitor from Meditech or A&D Medical gives you the confidence to know you’re using a reliable, accurate device to make a clinical decision.

A&D Medical clinical validation studies

Validation of the A&D UM-211 device for office blood pressure measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010
Fania, Claudio; Albertini, Federica; Palatini, Paolo
Blood Pressure Monitoring, October 2017,22(5):302-305

Validation of the A&D UM-201 device for office blood pressure measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol Revision 2010
Fania, Claudio; Albertini, Federica; Palatini, Paolo
Blood Pressure Monitoring, August 2017,22(4):234-237

Validation of the fully automated A&D TM-2656 blood pressure monitor according to the British Hypertension Society Protocol (equivalent to TM-2657P)
Zeng, Wei-Fang; Liu, Ming; Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang
Blood Pressure Monitoring, August 2013,18(4):223-226

Validation of the A&D BP UA-651 device with a wide-range cuff for home blood pressure measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010
Benetti, Elisabetta; Fania, Claudio; Palatini, Paolo
Blood Pressure Monitoring, June 2015,20(3):164-167

Validation of the A&D BP UA-651 device for home blood pressure measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010
Benetti, Elisabetta; Fania, Claudio; Palatini, Paolo
Blood Pressure Monitoring, February 2014,19(1):50-53

Validation of the A&D UA-1020 upper-arm blood pressure monitor with six different-shaped or different-sized cuffs according to the British Hypertension Society protocol
Zeng, Wei-Fang; Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Liu, Ming; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang
Blood Pressure Monitoring, October 2013,18(5):272-277

Validation of the A&D UA-1020 upper-arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the British Hypertension Society Protocol
Zeng, Wei-Fang; Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Liu, Ming; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang
Blood Pressure Monitoring, June 2013,18(3):177-181

Validation of A&D UA-778 blood pressure monitor in children
Narogan, Marina V.; Narogan, Marina I.; Syutkina, Elena V.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, October 2009,14(5):228-231

Validation of A&D UA-85X device for blood pressure measurement
Bonso, Elisa; Ragazzo, Fabio; Palatini, Paolo
Blood Pressure Monitoring, December 2008,13(6):339-341

Validation of A&D TM-2430 upper-arm blood pressure monitor for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children and adolescents, according to the British Hypertension Society protocol
Yip, Gabriel Wai-Kwok; So, Hung-Kwan; Li, Albert Martin; Tomlinson, Brian; Wong, Sik-Nin; Sung, Rita Yn-Tz
Blood Pressure Monitoring, April 2012,17(2):76-79

Validation of the A&D UM-101 professional hybrid device for office blood pressure measurement according to the International Protocol
Stergiou, George S.; Giovas, Periklis P.; Gkinos, Charilaos P.; Tzamouranis, Dimitris G.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, February 2008,13(1):37-42

Meditech clinical studies

Reproducibility of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure and measures of autonomic function
Morrin, Niamh M.; Stone, Mark R.; Henderson, Keiran J.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, June 2017,22(3):169-172
Brief Report

Obstructive sleep apnea increases systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability in hypertensive patients
Shi, Jing; Piao, Jingyan; Liu, Bin; Pan, Yujiao; Gong, Yongtai; Deng, Xianzhu; Sun, Weiyan; Lu, Shuang; Li, Yue
Blood Pressure Monitoring, August 2017,22(4):208-212
Clinical Methods and Pathophysiology

The influence of physical training status on postexercise hypotension in patients with hypertension: a cross-sectional study
Imazu, Alexandre A.; Goessler, Karla F.; Casonatto, Juliano; Polito, Marcos D.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, August 2017,22(4):196-201
Clinical Methods and Pathophysiology

Clinical practice of ambulatory versus home blood pressure monitoring in hypertensive patients
Paolasso, Jorge A.; Crespo, Florencia; Arias, Viviana; Moreyra, Eduardo A.; Volmaro, Ariel; Orías, Marcelo; Moreyra, Eduardo Jr
Blood Pressure Monitoring, December 2015,20(6):303-309
Clinical Methods and Pathophysiology

The association of night-time systolic blood pressure with ultrasound markers of subclinical cardiac and vascular disease
O’Flynn, Anne Marie; Ho, Emily; Dolan, Eamon; Curtin, Ronan J.; Kearney, Patricia M.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, February 2017,22(1):18-26
Clinical Methods and Pathophysiology

Myocardial ischemia during everyday life in patients with arterial hypertension: prevalence, risk factors, triggering mechanism and circadian variability
Uen, Sakir; Un, Ismail; Fimmers, Rolf; Vetter, Hans; Mengden, Thomas
Blood Pressure Monitoring, August 2006,11(4):173-182

Development of normative ambulatory blood pressure data in children: Marianne Soergel and the Arbeitsgruppe Pädiatrische Hypertonie
Blood Pressure Monitoring, June-August 1999,4(3):121-126

Making ambulatory blood pressure monitoring accessible in pharmacies
James, Kirstyn; Dolan, Eamon; O’Brien, Eoin
Blood Pressure Monitoring, June 2014,19(3):134-139

Simultaneous recording of blood pressure and ST-segment with combined, triggered ambulatory 24-h devices
Uen, Sakir; Vetter, Hans; Mengden, Thomas
Blood Pressure Monitoring, February 2003,8(1):41-44

Silent myocardial ischaemia in treated hypertensives with and without left ventricular hypertrophy
Stojanovic, Milos M.; O’Brien, Eoin; Lyons, Simon; Stanton, Alice V.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, February 2003,8(1):45-51

The twenty year wait has been worth it!

The new A&D Medical TM-2440 and TM-2441 Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitors are now available to pre-order from lead distributor PMS Instruments. They replace the old TM-2430 which PMS originally introduced in 1998.

Engineered in Japan, they are the 4^th generation of A&D ABPM monitor PMS Instruments have launched in the UK and easily the most advanced to date. Both new models have a number of new innovative premium features.

With the launch of 2 new ABPM monitors at once the twenty year wait has been worth it!

The A&D TM-2440 Classic abpm comes as standard with fast measurement time, silent operation and with a world first in an A&D ABPM, IHB (Irregular Heart Beat) analysis technology.

This ground breaking technology pioneered by A&D in 2001 is now used worldwide assisting in the opportunistic detection of arrhythmias – which include AFib (or Atrial Fibrillation). It features Oscillometric waveform measurement analysis and with the new analysis software you can check the waveform record for each measurement.

The TM-2441 Premium ABPM with it’s all in one design concept offers the clinician and patient complete flexibility, providing Ambulatory (ABPM), Home (HBPM), Office (OBP), Automatic Night Blood Pressure (ANBP), and Automatic Self Blood Pressure (ASBP) measurement/monitoring in one device.

In addition to the Irregular Heart Beat analysis technology, it records environmental factors including Activity using a built in Accelerometer, Temperature and Air Pressure. The new TM-2441 provides additional more insightful view of the patient beyond just blood pressure recording and heart rate information – helping build a better picture for clinical decision making.

Both models for the first time are available with 4 different cuff sizes small, adult, large adult and extra-large adult with sizes fitting an arm circumference from 15-22cm right up to 36-50cm.

The new AND Analysis software allows PDF reports to be exported to popular clinical management systems like EMIS and SystmOne and is compatible with the old TM-2430.

The TM-2440/TM-2441 feature both USB and Bluetooth communication, use just 2 AA batteries and at just 120g, the TM-2440 is one of the smallest, lightest ABPM monitors on the market.

To discuss competitive upgrades or arrange a demonstration or trial call us today.

A history of A&D Medical

A History of A&D Medical

At PMS Instruments we’re proud of the fact that we are the UK’s largest distributor of A&D’s innovative blood pressure monitors for both home healthcare & healthcare professionals and have been since 1989!

A&D are an established and trusted blood pressure brand and with our near 30 year experience with them in the UK and Ireland I thought it a great opportunity to provide a little history, as PMS Instruments have been with them all the way!

Who are A&D? A history of innovation.

A multi-national Japanese company established in 1977 A&D are world leaders in measurement technology and launched their first blood pressure model the UA-102, in 1979. They use their unique skills in analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion technology to produce state-of-the-art equipment, including electronic balances, scales, weighing indicators and of course blood pressure monitors.

Success by investing heavily in Research & Development.

In 1984, they introduced their innovative oscillometric blood pressure measurement technology. Over time and backed up by numerous independent clinical studies the oscillometric method went on to become the standard method for digital blood pressure monitoring in both home healthcare and professional healthcare markets throughout the world.

2001 saw the first introduction of their unique Irregular Heartbeat Indicator in blood pressure monitors closely followed in 2003 by another innovation, the World Hypertension Society (WHO) blood pressure classification index. Both technologies are still in use today and found in millions of A&D blood pressure monitors worldwide.

Other innovative products like the iconic TM-2655P waiting room blood pressure monitor followed in 2002 with the Mercury free UM-101 sphygmomanometer arriving in 2005. New updated versions of these models were introduced last year (TM-2657P, UM-102).

Keeping up to date with Telemedicine, Telehealth and Wellness Connected.

In 2015, A&D launched their Wellness Connected app, giving patients the option of syncing their Blood Pressure results to their smartphone or tablet allowing users to manage and monitor their health, in one simple, easy-to-use app.

The latest innovation in A&D’s product range, the UM-201 Blood Pressure Monitor, has just been validated to the International Protocol and offers one-touch Oscillometric measurement, variable cuff sizes & is clinically validated for accuracy.

Why buy an A&D BP monitor and why buy it from PMS Instruments?

If I am asked this question I happily remind potential customers that A&Ds “Honmono” philosophy means they are one of the few manufacturers to focus on the consumer and professional blood pressure markets and as noted above have a proven pedigree and track record of accuracy and reliability.

Whether it is a monitor for home use, 24 hour ABPM or waiting room BP monitor here’s why you should purchase your A&D BP monitor from PMS Instruments.

Largest UK Distributor of A&D blood pressure monitors
NHS Supply Chain partner
ISO-9001 approved service, repair and warranty partner
Extensive A&D experience
5* independent customer service approval
Latest current models in stock
Extensive range of spare parts and accessories from stock
Free demonstration and loan on some models

PMS Instruments. Expertise, Experience and Trust for service, calibration and support.

These are the key words our customers associate with PMS Instruments as well as being the fundamental foundations of our calibration and service department.

I recently posted on Facebook a picture of an A&D Medical TM-2655P waiting room blood pressure monitor that had recorded a staggering 103366 readings since we originally supplied it in 2004!

Having visited the R&D centre in Japan I know the engineering quality, research and development that A&D Medical put into the design and manufacturer of their products but was intrigued and asked one of our service engineers to give me the service history of the monitor over the last 12 years.

We keep detailed service and calibration records for every item of equipment we service and repair. The monitor had a new cuff mechanism fitted in 2007 which we replaced under warranty but other than that had had no other parts fitted just regular, routine and preventative maintenance.

What’s the secret of this reliability and low cost of ownership?

I am convinced it is regular, preventative and routine servicing by PMS Instruments which extends the in service life of the monitors and prolongs the investment our customers make in their equipment.

Why do I think this? There are any number of medical companies that visit GP surgeries in the UK offering to service and calibrate a wide range of blood pressure monitoring equipment. That may be the case but the TM-2655P and TM-2657P waiting room blood pressure monitors are specialist instruments, requiring specialist knowledge and test equipment.

So what are you actually getting from us and how does our service differ?

With our service and calibration service each monitor is subjected to an approved individual ISO-9001 quality assured Work Instruction. This comprises a series of up to 70 detailed steps our service engineers must follow and which the product must pass in accordance with the manufacturer’s service manuals. You get so much more from PMS Instruments than the basic 10 minute on site functional test some companies offer.

You get what you pay for?

Not convinced and want to use another company?

To ensure you are getting a proper and professional service for your A&D Medical waiting room blood pressure monitor and compare like for like ask your current service provider these questions.

Are you authorised by A&D Medical to work on this equipment?
Have the service engineers working on your equipment been on an A&D training course?
Do you follow a preventative service and maintenance schedule?
Do you perform an internal inspection of the equipment?
Do you check and replace routine original service parts?
Do you use an A&D Medical BP Checker?

Was it yes to all of these?

I was happy for the customer that their A&D Medical waiting room blood pressure monitor had provided so many years of reliable and trouble free service.

Has your TM-2655P monitor reached 100000 + readings during its lifetime yet? If your current service company can’t tell you call us on 01628 773233 and we will.

The secret by the way is Test Mode 41 or is it 42!

Know Your Numbers Week 12 – 18th September

The 12^th to the 18^th of September this year sees the return of ‘Know your Numbers’, a Blood Pressure UK run awareness campaign to promote blood pressure testing. KYN was first launched in 2001 and has since gone on to encourage around 1.5 million people to have their blood pressure checked. The idea is that we should all know our blood pressures like we know our height and weight.

For me, that’s a great analogy. If you weigh yourself and realise you’ve put on a few pounds, then you might start eating a bit differently or moving a bit more. The difference, however, is that with weight gain you have a visual clue before anything else. Blood Pressure is only known once tested, but knowing those figures and tracking the changes could one day save your life.

As part of KYN week, ‘Pressure Stations’ will be setup all around the country at the more obvious venues such as GP surgeries, hospitals and health clubs, but also shopping centres and supermarkets, so it should be easy for everyone to get checked out.

At P.M.S (Instruments), we think this is a great initiative, and hope it does it a lot of good, but we can’t forget that we’re here to supply both surgeries with the equipment they need and also those at home or in the private healthcare sector. With that in mind, we’d like to share some news on two great new products.

The A&D TM-2657P is the follow up to the TM-2655P, popular with GPs as it saves consultation time. This is particularly useful at this time of year when it comes to screening elderly patients who are having the flu jab in large volumes. My favourite new feature of this machine is the added value of the Irregular Heartbeat Indicator (IHB) function – a highly useful new feature. Check out the write up below for some more specs!

The other great new Blood Pressure Monitor is the A&D UA-767-S, which is the latest in a generation of models of the same name. This is a really portable BPM, which makes it perfect for either home use, those who are regularly out and about on home visits or just in the surgery. Another brilliant bit of kit from A&D, again, check below for full specs!

Here at PMS, we’re proud to have a 40 year plus history of supplying technology you can trust. We’ve been the main A&D UK distributer since 1990 (A&D have been making Blood Pressure Monitors since 1979) so we can guarantee the best equipment and a genuine pedigree. For is, this is the perfect marriage to support the upcoming Know Your Numbers week.

A&D TM-2657PA&D TM-2657P – For Waiting Room Use

Key features

User-friendly with small footprint
BHS AA grade clinical validation
Simple one-touch fully automatic measurement
Accurate and reliable Torque Controlled Belt drive Method
Antibacterial inner arm cuff cover
Easy load paper tray
Reliable high speed printer with easy paper replacement
Irregular Heart Beat (IHB) indicated on printout

The TM-2657P is the latest waiting room blood pressure monitor from A&D Medical. It builds on the speed, reliability and accuracy of the previous TM-2655P, which it replaces, but now features a new ergonomic, modern, compact design. The new integrated armrest helps ensure the patient’s arm is comfortable and in the correct position during a measurement.

A new antibacterial arm cuff cover is also now fitted as standard with the TM-2657P. Designed and engineered in Japan, the new TM-2657P has a faster printout speed and offers added optional connectivity features including Bluetooth.

The “Torque Controlled Belt drive Method” (TCBM) cuff mechanism in the TM-2657P provides sophisticated automatic cuff size adjustment, ensuring the arm is positioned correctly for accurate high speed measurement, first time, every time.

With a centrally located simple one-button operation, it can be used on children (13 years or above) and adults with either the left or right arm. After the reading, the results are output to the inbuilt thermal printer with the date, time systolic, diastolic and pulse rate clearly displayed. New printing options also permit the inclusion of a barcode or QR code on the print out.

The printout will also display (if present) an irregular heartbeat symbol. An irregular heartbeat is defined as a heartbeat that varies by 25% from the average of all heartbeats during the blood pressure measurement.

Like the previous model, the TM-2657P looks set to be popular with GP Practices looking for a clinically validated, easy to use professional waiting room blood pressure monitor.

Key features

Compact size and weight (140(w) x 60(h) x 105(d) mm weighs (245g) ex batteries
Advanced Oscillometric method for hospital accuracy
60 reading memory with average
Correct cuff fit and movement detector
Irregular heartbeat indicator with frequency detected
WHO blood pressure classification index
European Society of Hypertension International Protocol clinical validation
Five- year warranty
Battery or mains (optional extra) operation

The frequency of IHB (Irregular Heart Beat) detection is divided into different grades and shown by icons.

0-24% : No Indication
25-49% : Grade 1
50-74% : Grade 2
75-100% : Grade 3

The latest A&D Medical UA-767S builds on the popularity, accuracy and reliability of the original UA-767 series but it adds additional new advanced features. It is a popular upper arm blood pressure monitor with a 60 reading memory with averaging function, cuff fit and movement error functions and a simple one-button operation. This model features a new Irregular Heartbeat Indicator (IHB) function, which identifies the frequency of IHB by dividing the number of IHBs by the total number of readings taken to grade the occurrence of IHB accordingly. The more frequent the IHB appears the greater the risk. This feature is for monitoring purposes only. The UA-767S is supplied with a standard 22-32cm cuff. For customers with a larger arm we recommend the UA-767S-W, which has a 22-42cm cuff. It has a proven reliability record and is used extensively in the UK.

The right monitor for the job?

All blood pressure monitors are really all the same aren’t they? Which is the most accurate? I’m confused as all BP monitors seem to be the same. What about reliability and durability?

These are some of the questions our sales team are frequently asked and it’s true many digital blood pressure monitors offer similar features and claim to offer similar “clinically validated accuracy”.

But what about durability and reliability?

Continue reading “The right monitor for the job?”

Waiting Room Blood Pressure Monitors Rebooted

The new integrated arm rest helps ensure the patient’s arm is comfortable and in the correct position during a measurement. A new antibacterial arm cuff cover is also now fitted as standard with the TM-2657P.

Designed and engineered in Japan, the new TM-2657P has a faster printout speed and offers added optional connectivity features including Bluetooth.

With a centrally located simple one button operation, it can be used on children (13 years or above) and adults with either the left or right arm.

After the reading, the results are output to the inbuilt thermal printer with the date, time systolic, diastolic and pulse rate clearly displayed. New printing options also permit the inclusion of a barcode or QR code on the print out.

Like the previous model, the TM-2657P looks set to be popular with GP Practices looking for a clinically validated, easy to use professional waiting room blood pressure monitor.