Electronic devices like a FITBIT or Apple Watch have been on the market for a long time but they continue to get more inexpensive and add features. This has attracted a number of new entrants into the market such as new designs of a blood pressure monitor which can range in cost from $15-$100. Before buying one, measure your upper arm and choose a model with an arm cuff that fits. Avoid wrist and finger monitors which are less accurate. For more information, go to the American Medical Association’s website at www.validatebp.org. There are also low-cost oxygen monitors which tend to range from $20-$300. A pulse oximeter uses light beams to pass through tissue and measure your oxygen saturation level. In addition, check out Heart Rate Monitors which go from $200-$300. There are two types—those that strap onto your chest and those you wear on your wrist. The chest models are typically more precise but the wrist monitor is better suited for everyday use (AARP The Magazine, February/March 2022, page 24).
