More Indians buying BP machines as OMRON’s sales surge by 30%

New Delhi: COVID-19 has not just changed our world but also altered the way we deal with things, and in most ways for good. Perhaps one of the biggest changes in ourselves is the way we’ve now become more mindful of our health.

People, in general, have realized the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, evident by the number of people adopting online workout classes, walking, jogging, and even cycling. While people have taken to some sort of physical activity to increase immunity, the importance of home health monitoring is also not lost on them.

According to OMRON Healthcare India, the global leader in digital blood pressure home monitoring devices, more number of Indians are buying Digital Blood Pressure Monitors (BPMs) to monitor their vital parameters effectively. The brand has seen a surge in sales of BPMs by as much as 30 percent in the post-COVID-19 months.

People who have high blood pressure, or hypertension, before the age of 40 are at an increased risk of heart disease later in life. Therefore, monitoring blood pressure at home is an important part of managing high blood pressure. Home monitoring can also help you keep tabs on your blood pressure in a familiar setting, make certain your medication is working, and enable the doctors to take more informed decisions to manage potential health complications.

The rise in sales could also have been for the fact that COVID-19 infection has meant that people have largely stayed away from hospitals unless critical. Even in cases of people with asymptomatic conditions, who would have otherwise consulted a physician, are delaying going for consultation in fear of COVID-19. It has also meant that patients with need for regular monitoring are now considering solutions for home monitoring.

Whatever be the case, no one seems to be complaining. After all, a healthy lifestyle is a way of living a long and happy life. Not all diseases are preventable, but a large proportion of morbidities & complications, particularly those from coronary heart disease, can be avoided and well managed with monitoring.

“The trend is more evident in large metros owing to the urban lifestyle and more awareness than their counterparts in Tier 2 and 3 cities. More than half of the 30 per cent surge has come from large metro cities. Among the large cities, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore witnessed higher inquiry levels for a BP machine than others, Delhi being the highest” says Rohit Saini, GM – Sales & Marketing, OMRON Healthcare India.

OMRON also shared there is a general rise in health awareness and consciousness across the globe as witnessed by the increasing numbers of activities such as marathons, walkathons and proliferation of wearable devices, smart health applications and health forums. “The phenomenon is directly proportionate to the higher disposable incomes in urban India. The propensity to spend more on health and fitness is higher in the cities,” adds Rohit.

Keeping in sync with this trend, the company has recently added new digital BP Monitors in their portfolio with innovative features like 360 degrees arm-cuff feature. Enabled with the ‘Enhanced IntelliWrap™’ technology, the arm cuff ensures impeccable accuracy regardless of how the cuff is worn. Therefore, any variation in the readings that might appear due to incorrect placement of the cuff by the user is mitigated. The monitors also have ‘Dual Check for Dual Users’. It measures and detects blood pressure along with AFib (Atrial Fibrillation), thus enabling users to have a comprehensive check for their risk of stroke with one device, in one sitting. The dual user function also provides storage and transmission of measurement data of two separate users to their smartphones.