Dubai A pharmacy in a mall which reported brisk sales of blood pressure monitors during the Eid break highlights a growing public awareness about the need to remain clued in about one’s own health.
“People come to Dubai for Eid from other [GCC] countries and our sales [of hand-held monitors] was good,” says Jaisho P.C., pharmacist at Boots.
Blood glucose monitors for diabetics had also been in high demand, he said.
“Home-care is the latest trend in prevention of chronic diseases or for proper maintenance of your treatment through regular monitoring,” says Dr Prem Jagyasi, CEO of ExHealth, a health care events management firm.
In today’s fast-paced world, it is not always possible to go to a hospital or a clinic to keep track of one’s blood sugar level or check for hypertension, Dr Jagyasi said highlighting why more people are relying on hand-held monitors.
“The days of just measuring your height and weight are gone,” he said. “Stroke patients or the aged can now wear a device which immediately notifies a relative, friend or a doctor if the person falls down or has an accident at home,” he said.
Regular monitoring
The doctor believes that because of the sedentary and stressful lifestyles of people, it is essential to regularly check BP, blood sugar, and BMI (body mass index) levels.
Some doctors are of the opinion that frequent checking of your blood pressure can actually be counter-productive and hike the pressure. People often do not know when is the right time to check their blood pressure, a doctor said.
Marianne Zaida who is pregnant, finds a portable blood glucose monitor very handy. Her doctor has advised her to check her blood sugar levels every day as pregnant women run a risk of gestational diabetes.
She said she checks her blood sugar in the morning before breakfast, in the afternoon and after dinner. “It’s not practical for me to go to a lab three times a day,” she says.
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