This Father's Day Give Dad a Gift Straight for the Heart

Dad's Personal Wellness 'Toolbox' Gets a Makeover with the Omron HEM-780 Blood Pressure Monitor

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- On Father's Day, all eyes are on dad. From where to treat him to dinner to what gift to give, it's all about celebrating his role in the family and showing him how much we care. With that in mind, there is no gift greater than good health. So this Father's Day, rather than giving the usual cordless drill or a circular saw, give dad a gift to add to another "toolbox"; give him a home blood pressure monitor from Omron.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090617/CG33893)

We all know dad loves his gadgets but there isn't a screwdriver around that can notify him of an irregular heartbeat. Home blood pressure monitoring is an important component of any health and wellness plan, according to the American Heart Association. With an Omron blood pressure monitor, you can help empower dad to easily detect high blood pressure. High blood pressure is often referred to as the "silent killer" since it doesn't yield any symptoms. As a result it often goes undetected, a troubling trend since, if left untreated, it can lead to stroke, kidney failure or even heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in men in the United States(1).

Despite these facts, a recent survey conducted by Omron Healthcare uncovered that more than 75 percent of people don't realize the importance of monitoring their blood pressure at home(2). Yet the purchase of a home blood pressure monitor is an easy and affordable way for dad to keep tabs on his readings and arm him with the information he needs to work hand-in-hand with his physician to best manage his health. Omron Healthcare offers a variety of home monitors which range in price and features, as well as accuracy that has made Omron the #1 doctor recommended brand.

Morning Hypertension

Another key benefit to monitoring blood pressure at home is the ability to uncover morning hypertension, a condition with which 70 percent of people surveyed were unfamiliar(2). Morning hypertension is a surge in blood pressure that occurs after waking. It, too, often goes unnoticed since by the time many make it into the doctor's office, blood pressure levels may have decreased. The condition is concerning or alarming given it is common knowledge that most cardiovascular events and strokes happen in the morning hours.

For those who may be at risk, the Omron HEM-780 home blood pressure monitor is a good solution. It's the first model designed to detect morning hypertension, offers easy, one-touch operation and costs under $100, which is in line with the average amount adults plan to spend on this year's Father's Day gift(3). So forget about the garage stereo and hook dad up with the gift that will keep on giving.

Omron Healthcare blood pressure monitors are available at major pharmacy stores and online retailers nationwide. To learn more about Omron's complete line of home blood pressure monitors, visit omronhealthcare.com.

About Omron Healthcare, Inc.

Omron Healthcare, Inc., located in Bannockburn, IL, is the North and South American sales and marketing office of Omron Healthcare Group, a leading manufacturer and distributor of blood pressure monitors for home use. With more than 70 million monitors sold worldwide to date, Omron Healthcare Group was the first to introduce manual and digital blood pressure monitors into the home healthcare market. Omron Healthcare offers innovative products and medical devices for use in sites ranging from hospitals to the home in the blood pressure monitoring, fitness diagnostics, thermometry, and respiratory categories. Omron Healthcare markets clinically proven products that provide accurate health information to consumers and physicians and support positive lifestyle changes and health improvement. For more information, visit www.omronhealthcare.com.

    Contact:             Caroline Guth
                         312-988-2410
                         cguth@webershandwick.com

(1)National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2007 with Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans. Hyattsville, MD: 2007

(2)The survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1086 men and women 18+ -- all members of the Impulse Research proprietary online panel. The Impulse Research proprietary online panel has been carefully selected to closely match US population demographics and the respondents are representative of American men and women 18+. Research was conducted in May 2009. The overall sampling error rate for this survey is +/-3% at the 95% level of confidence

(3)National Retail Federation, 2009 Father's Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, nrf.com ; The NRF 2009 Father's Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to the Father's Day holiday. The survey was conducted for NRF by BIGresearch. The poll of 8,447 consumers was conducted from May 5-12, 2009. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 percent.

SOURCE Omron Healthcare, Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.omronhealthcare.com