Frequently asked questions

To determine your blood pressure, two values have to be measured:

• SYS – systolic (upper) blood pressure – this is generated when the heart contracts and blood is pumped into the blood vessels.
• DIA – diastolic (lower) blood pressure – this is produced when the heart relaxes and fills up with blood again.

The measured values for blood pressure are displayed in mmHg.

To better evaluate the results, Veroval® blood pressure monitors offer a traffic light colour system that directly describes the results to enable easier categorisation of the measured value. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) & European Society of Hypertension (ESH) have developed the following summary for classifying blood pressure values:

Results indicator	Evaluation	Systolic pressure		Diastolic pressure
Red	Grade 3 hypertension	above 179 mmHg	and/or	above 109 mmHg
Orange	Grade 2 hypertension	160 - 179 mmHg	and/or	100 - 109 mmHg
Yellow	Grade 1 hypertension	140 - 159 mmHg	and/or	90 - 99 mmHg
Green	High normal	130 - 139 mmHg	and/or	85 - 89 mmHg
Green	Normal	120 - 129 mmHg	and/or	80 - 84 mmHg
Green	Optimal	up to 119 mmHg	and	up tp 79 mmHg

• Established hypertension (high blood pressure) is defined as having a systolic value of at least 140 mmHg and/or a diastolic value of at least 90 mmHg.
• Generally, blood pressure is described as being too low (hypotension) when the blood pressure value is less than 105 mmHg (systolic) and 60 mmHg (diastolic). However, the threshold between normal and low blood pressure (hypotension) is not as accurately specified as the threshold for high blood pressure (hypertension). Hypotension may be indicated by symptoms such as dizziness, tiredness, tendency to faint, visual disorders or a high pulse rate. In order to ensure that hypotension or the associated symptoms are not signs of a serious illness, a doctor should be consulted in the event of doubt.

Initially, high blood pressure does not cause any symptoms, and those affected do not even notice. That means that most of those affected do not even know that they belong to this patient group. The danger is that if blood pressure is permanently too high, there is an increased risk of damage to vital organs such as the heart, kidneys and eyes. Regular measurement gives reliable information about the development of blood pressure values. This is important in order to recognize risks early on and to avoid the consequences of hypertension.

If hypertension remains untreated in the long term, further serious illnesses may occur, including heart or circulatory problems such as myocardial infarction, weakness of the heart (heart failure) or stroke. But renal weakness or decline of vision are also among the possible consequences.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and can only be detected when it occurs. It is characterized by a markedly accelerated, constantly irregular heartbeat. When atrial fibrillation occurs, the atria can no longer properly support the heart chambers during pumping. As a result, the heart does not empty completely and blood remains in the atria, where it can form clots. These clots can enter the brain and trigger a stroke.

Although atrial fibrillation is not directly life threatening, it indicates a five-fold increased stroke risk. It can therefore become life threatening if it is not recognized and treated by a doctor. Because atrial fibrillation can be asymptomatic and can only be detected when it happens, it is difficult to recognize. Patients suffering from hypertension should be cautious, as hypertensives in particular have a doubly high risk of developing atrial fibrillation, which can lead to dangerous blood clots that cause strokes.

Signs of atrial fibrillation are often unspecific, such as palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath or chest pain. Up to 30% of the people who suffer from atrial fibrillation do not feel any symptoms at all.

Stroke prevention is especially important for people over the age of 50, or people suffering from hypertension, diabetes or hyperlipidemia. In general, there are two important factors which are accountable for heart attacks and particularly strokes: these are high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat, particularly atrial fibrillation.

The good news is that more than 80% of strokes can be prevented. Beside some non-influencable risk factors, such as old age, being male, family history or having already suffered a stroke, you can reduce your stroke risk by:

1. Taking charge of your own health and living a healthy lifestyle: eat healthy, stay active, avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
2. Managing your blood pressure, ECG, cholesterol and diabetes.
3. Taking your medication as recommended by your doctor.

Talk to your doctor about your stroke risk and set up a prevention plan that’s individually tailored for you.

• Increased body temperature
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Muscle and joint aches
• Chills, shaking and shivering
• Sweating
• Flushed skin and warm forehead
• Increased heart rate
• Loss of appetite
• Dizziness and general weakness

(Not all of the symptoms occur or appear at the same time)

Fever is one of the most commonly presenting complaints in childhood. The most likely cause is infection. Because of an inexperienced immune system, children typically get higher and quicker fever than adults. The immune system of newborn babies is relatively immature, and has to develop over time through exposure to various pathogens such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. But the immune system also assumes other roles, including tissue repair and wound healing. The activity of the immune system is often accompanied by a rise in body temperature.

The human body regulates the body temperature to a target value, although body temperature can fluctuate by up to 1 °C over the course of a day. Throughout the course of life, your average body temperature can decrease by up to 0.5 °C. Moreover, the temperature inside the body (core temperature) and the surface temperature on the skin have different values. Thus, there is no ‘normal’ body temperature – it always depends on the measurement site.

Please note:
Your body temperature is also influenced by ambient temperature, your age, stress levels, how much sleep you have had, hormone levels and physical activity. While glass and digital thermometers measure the temperature of the human body directly, ear and forehead measurement involves determining the core body temperature using the infrared radiation emitted by the body. Even when the temperature is measured correctly, the reading can differ slightly from a rectal, oral or axillary temperature measurement obtained using a digital thermometer.

Fever is an elevated temperature of the human body that is substantially beyond the normal range.

Depending on the thermometer you use and on the measuring site you choose (depending on which measuring site your thermometer is suitable for), the table below gives you an orientation if your child has fever or if the result of the temperature measurement corresponds to a normal body temperature.

Fever is a common response to infection in the body. It can help fight infection. The term refers to an elevated temperature of the body that is substantially beyond the normal range.

The presence of a fever is usually related to stimulation of the body's immune response. Fever can support the function of the immune system against infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria, and can make it difficult for temperature-sensitive viruses and bacteria to reproduce.

Available measurement methods:

The state of the art is to measure body temperature either with a digital pen-type thermometer or with an infrared thermometer. Digital pen-type thermometers have been established for rectal, oral and axillary measurement of body temperature, whereas infrared thermometers measure the body temperature on the forehead or in the patient´s ear.

The devices placed in the market by HARTMANN correspond to the standards for clinical thermometers, and operate within those defined tolerances. All above-mentioned methods are therefore suitable for measuring body temperature.

However, the digital thermometers from HARTMANN have better accuracy, with a deviation of +/– 0.1 °C for the entire measuring range, compared to the infrared thermometers which have a measuring accuracy of ±0.2 °C at 35.0 °C – 42.0 °C (for more detailed information please see the respective product instructions for use). Forehead temperature measurement is also more dependent on external influences than rectal, oral or axillary measurement.

Digital pen-type thermometers from HARTMANN measure the body temperature directly, that means the heat emanating from the respective body site (rectum, mouth, armpit) is transferred to the measuring sensor of the device. The duration of this measurement process until the measurement result is displayed on the device depends on the thermometer model and the measurement location on the body. The fastest possible measurement can be achieved using a rapid model and applying it in the rectum. When measuring in the mouth, you have to follow some rules, and when measuring under the armpits, you should add 0.5 °C to the displayed value to get a more realistic value. Digital pen-type thermometers are long-lasting and accurate.

Infrared thermometers from HARTMANN measure the infrared radiation emitted from the eardrum or from the skin on the forehead of the body, and convert the measured values into a body temperature. The eardrum is easy to access and is supplied with blood from the same vessels as the hypothalamus, the temperature control centre of the body. Hence in the ear you get the fastest fever reaction, and therefore measuring in the ear is suitable for monitoring the progress of a fever. When measuring on the forehead, the temperature result is established mainly from the temporal artery. A forehead measurement can be performed with or without contact with the skin, depending on the device model. This measurement method eliminates the need to physically insert a probe into a body cavity such as the ear canal or rectum. The accuracy of the measured values depend on careful handling. Clinical infrared thermometers have been well-established in the market for decades.

Which thermometer/measurement method is most appropriate for you may depend on different conditions, such as disease, age, anatomy, personal preference.

For more detailed informations please see IFU of the respective products.

Used correctly, the Veroval® infrared thermometers provide reliable results for both measurement methods.

In direct comparison, however, ear measurement is usually superior to forehead measurements. Why? The ear measurement method is ideal for accurate temperature control because the eardrum is very well supplied with the same blood as the vessels for the hypothalamus, which is responsible for the thermoregulation of our body. Temperature changes can be measured quickly, and the progress can be monitored easily. In addition, this measurement method is less susceptible to interference from exogenous factors.

In the end, the measurement accuracy of both methods depends mainly on their correct use.

Clean the device and the measuring sensor with a moist cloth and a mild detergent or a suitable disinfectant, e.g. 70% isopropyl alcohol solution (active substance: 2-propanol).

For non-waterproof thermometers:
Make sure no liquid can penetrate the inside of the thermometer, and never immerse the device in water or other cleaning agents!

For waterproof thermometers:
Do not immerse the thermometer in liquid for longer than 30 minutes, and do not immerse it any deeper than 15 cm

Please do not use any aggressive cleaning agents or solvents, as these can damage the device and cause the display to become opaque.

Body temperature measured in the ear and on the forehead can be influenced by several factors. Please follow some rules for precise measurements:

• Check if the measuring sensor is clean and undamaged
• Select the correct measurement mode (mode switch on thermometer)
• Use a single-use protective cover (for ear mode) and blue forehead cap (forehead mode)
• Consider an acclimation time of 30 min for thermometer and device
• Ear/forehead should be clean and "healthy" (injuries and diseases can lead to false readings)
• Avoid measuring when the measuring location is artificially warmed up
• Ensure correct handling of thermometer

Contact free infrared thermometers use a modern measuring sensor technology to provide a body temperature value of high measurement accuracy. It is the most advanced and safest method of measuring the body temperature currently on the market. It is convenient as well as easy to use.

A non-contact forehead thermometer allows measurement of the temperature of babies, children and adults to be taken without skin contact in only 3 seconds. The thermometer is simply moved across the forehead over the temporal artery: a positioning light integrated into the head of the sensor enables guided handling of the thermometer during the scanning process. This eliminates the need to physically insert a probe into a body cavity such as the ear canal or rectum, which is not always well received by very sick children and babies. When a non-contact thermometer is used, you can take your child‘s temperature even while he or she is sleeping, absolutely silently and without bothering or even waking him or her.

Contact-free body temperature measurement is safe and hygienic because the temperature is measured without skin contact. The risk of contact transmission of bacteria or viruses is minimized. Therefore Veroval® baby is ideal for use on babies and children.

Veroval® baby additionally allows the measurement of the surface of an object or the room temperature in a further measuring mode. It can therefore be used in multiple ways.