Lots of stroke survivors joined the stroke club due to high blood pressure. I'm one of them. The biggest challenge with high blood pressure is that it doesn't hurt. Most people will feel no symptoms unless something goes terribly wrong. Or they might learn they have the condition if they get an annual physical. Because of the danger of high blood pressure directly, and because of the danger of other conditions that manifest as high blood pressure, it's important to check it regularly, and that doesn't mean you have to go to the doctor every week. You can find home blood pressure meters all over the place -- from Amazon to Costco to the corner grocery store. But which one is best? And what do you need to know if you've already had a stroke? This week, I'm joined by Carol Lucarelli of Omron Healthcare. Omron is a leading manufacturer of home blood pressure meters. In fact, one of their devices is sitting on the table next to me as I type this. It was that very device that gave me the 210 over 160 reading that kicked off my stroke story several years ago. More recently it read 134 over 77 -- not perfect, but still much better than the condition that collapsed my right middle cerebral artery. One reason I wanted to talk with Carol was that I heard about Omron's Going for Zero mission. The other reason is that I like tech and gadgets, especially when they can save lives. IMAGINE A HEALTHIER WORLD We believe the next generation won’t be defined by age, but by a world without heart attacks or strokes. This is a world-changing mind-set we call Going for Zero™. We do our part through technology supporting personal fitness, heart health, healthy lungs and freedom from pain. You bring this commitment to life by understanding and sharing heart health with every step. https://omronhealthcare.com/generation-zero/ Carol joins us to talk about how these devices work, how they compare to the doctor's office, and why we should trust devices from Omron from wrist devices to upper arm cuffs to smart watches. If you don't see the audio player below, click here to listen to the conversation on the original site.   Click here for an AI-generated transcript Who is Carol Lucarelli? Carol Lucarelli is the Executive Director of Marketing and Ecommerce at OMRON Healthcare, the global leader in personal heart health and wellness technology. Lucarelli is a seasoned marketing professional with over 25 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods space. During her time at OMRON, Lucarelli has led the marketing initiatives for numerous product innovations, including the launches of HeartGuide Complete as well as VitalSight, OMRON’s first remote patient monitoring service. Wrist vs Arm Home blood pressure monitors typically come in two types -- wrist or upper arm. The wrist mounted devices are typically smaller. You simply put it on your wrist, secure it, press a button, and raise your hand to get it at the appropriate level. The upper arm models will typically wrap around your bicep or upper arm. Some will have the guts of the device on the cuff; others will have a hose that goes to a device on your desk, table, or lap. In the past, I assumed the upper arm would be the more reliable device because that's what many medical facilities use. Over the past few years, though, I've seen more medical teams using the wrist versions for convenience. Carol also explained that whether it's wrist mounted or upper arm mounted, the devices are held to the exact same standard of accuracy. As long as a device is on the Validated Device List, you can assume the model is accurate. Ask your doctor if they have a recommendation. There are all sorts of health reasons why one style might work better for someone than another style. Different deficits after stroke may impact the choice. While cognitive, language, sensory, and pai