Edema was once known in medical circles as dropsy or hydropsy and is known and characterized by the accumulation of fluids underneath the skin. The body must support a balance of fluids and when this natural balance is impacted, edema may occur in the body. Edema may occur in a specific organ of the body and as such is referred to as organ-specific edema. Types of organ-specific edema include cerebral and pulmonary. In some types of edema that impact the balance of fluid in the legs, the addition of support stockings might be prescribed by a doctor to help keep edema under control.

As home blood pressure monitors and pulse oximeters bring convenience to required monitoring of one's blood pressure, there are benefits to each type of home measuring device. A mercury sphygmomanometer is a standard and popular way to measure blood pressure because it's durable and easy to read. Aneroid blood pressure monitoring is also convenient because it's lighter than a standard mercury machine. While more sensitive than aneroid or sphygmomanometer measuring, automatic equipment can be the right choice for those who have low manual dexterity and are interested in obtaining very accurate results with a home device.