How to Check Your BP at Home
Follow these tips to get more accurate blood pressure (BP) readings.
If you have a blood pressure monitor, use it to keep on top of your blood pressure. Keep track of your blood pressure between doctor visits and discuss your results with your healthcare professional.
Here are some ways to help you get accurate blood pressure readings:
Your blood pressure monitor's cuff should easily wrap around your upper arm with a few inches of slack. Blood pressure cuffs do come in different sizes, so check to make sure you find one that fits. If it's too tight, you may get an inaccurate reading.
Caffeine increases your blood pressure temporarily, so don't drink coffee, soda, tea or any drink with caffeine 30 minutes before you take a blood pressure reading.
Headache or other over-the-counter medications containing caffeine should be avoided before measuring blood pressure.
Avoid cold medicines with decongestants because they help your stuffy nose by tightening the tiny blood vessels in your nasal lining. However, they can also tighten blood vessels throughout your body and increase your blood pressure. This will affect your blood pressure readings. Ask your pharmacist or healthcare professional about decongestants that are made specifically for people with high blood pressure.
Smoking can increase your blood pressure for over 30 minutes after you've had a cigarette. The residue from cigarette smoking can stay in your blood vessels and increase your blood pressure readings.
Wear a comfortable short-sleeve T-shirt. If you roll up a long-sleeve shirt, make sure it's not tight around your arm, which constricts your blood vessels.
Go to the bathroom before taking your reading. A full bladder can affect your blood pressure reading.
Sit quietly and take two readings a few minutes apart and then average the results. Your healthcare professional may ask you to check your blood pressure at different times of the day to assess the effects of any medication you may be taking.
To average your results, add your blood pressure numbers together and divide by two. For example, if your readings were:
Reading 1: 140/90 mm Hg
Reading 2: 136/88 mm Hg
Add the top two numbers: 140 + 136 = 276
Divide the results by 2: 276 ÷ 2 = 138 mm Hg
Add the bottom two numbers: 90 + 88 = 178
Divide the results by 2: 178 ÷ 2 = 89 mm Hg
Your average blood pressure in this example would be 138/89 mm Hg.
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