Your doctor has informed you that you need a cardiorespiratory monitor and you are not sure what you should take into account in order to purchase the right one. These monitors can be lifesavers if used properly so you should be keen o get the best one that the market has to offer. As you shop there are several factors that you should keep in mind.
The first is the kind of data that your doctor wants to be able to monitor. The most basic devices of this type will monitor the heart rate as well as the respiration of the wearer. If, for example, you suddenly develop palpitations or your breathing becomes very shallow or very heavy you will be able to see immediately and you can get to the hospital in time to get help. Talk to your doctor about any additional readings that he may require – there are cardiorespiratory monitors that can provide more than heart rate and respiration data.
You should also take into account where the device is supposed to be worn. If you are mostly housebound you can have your monitor around your chest, but if you are a busy person who is always on the move you may find that wearing a monitor around your chest for many hours leads to skin chafing and general irritation. You should be looking for one that you can wear on your wrist or around your ankle.
Cost matters too. As more and more of these devices have come onto the market their price has dropped, but cheaper devices tend to be unreliable and they provide limited data. Some of them cost a few tens of pounds but there are those that can cost several hundred ponds. If you choose one that costs a lot of money you should make sure it provides functionality to match the cost.
Try a cardiorespiratory monitor from Equivital. You can see what they have to offer on http://www.equivital.com/.