How Long Should You Wait to Take Blood Pressure Again

How to use a home blood pressure monitor

• 

  Be still. Don't smoke, drink caffeinated beverages or exercise inside thirty minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Empty your bladder and ensure at to the lowest degree v minutes of tranquillity rest earlier measurements.
• Sit correctly. Sit down with your dorsum direct and supported (on a dining chair, rather than a sofa). Your feet should be flat on the flooring and your legs should not be crossed. Your arm should be supported on a apartment surface (such as a table) with the upper arm at heart level. Make sure the lesser of the cuff is placed direct in a higher place the bend of the elbow. Check your monitor'south instructions for an illustration or take your healthcare provider show you how.
• Measure at the same fourth dimension every solar day. It's of import to accept the readings at the same time each day, such as morning and evening. It is best to have the readings daily yet ideally get-go ii weeks after a change in treatment and during the week before your next appointment.
• Have multiple readings and tape the results. Each time you measure, accept two or iii readings one minute autonomously and record the results using a printable (PDF) tracker. If your monitor has congenital-in memory to shop your readings, take it with you to your appointments. Some monitors may also allow you to upload your readings to a secure website after y'all annals your profile.
• Don't take the measurement over clothes.

Download a PDF sheet that shows you lot how to measure your blood force per unit area properly. As well available in Castilian and Chinese.

Know your numbers

Acquire what the numbers in your claret pressure reading mean.

Claret Force per unit area Nautical chart

BLOOD PRESSURE CATEGORY	SYSTOLIC mm Hg (upper number)	and/or	DIASTOLIC mm Hg (lower number)
NORMAL	LESS THAN 120	and	LESS THAN lxxx
ELEVATED	120 – 129	and	LESS THAN 80
HIGH BLOOD Force per unit area (HYPERTENSION) Phase 1	130 – 139	or	lxxx – 89
HIGH Claret Pressure level (HYPERTENSION) STAGE 2	140 OR HIGHER	or	90 OR College
HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS (consult your doc immediately)	HIGHER THAN 180	and/or	College THAN 120

Note: A diagnosis of high blood pressure must exist confirmed with a medical professional. A doctor should also evaluate whatever unusually low claret pressure readings.

Download this chart: English Jpeg | English PDF | Spanish Jpeg | Spanish PDF | Traditional Chinese Jpeg | Traditional Chinese (PDF)

If you lot become a high blood pressure reading

• A single high reading is not an firsthand cause for alarm. If you become a reading that is slightly or moderately college than normal, take your blood pressure level a few more than times and consult your healthcare professional to verify if there' s a wellness concern or whether there may be any issues with your monitor.
• If your blood force per unit area readings suddenly exceed 180/120 mm Hg, wait five minutes and test again. If your readings are still unusually high, contact your doc immediately. You could be experiencing a hypertensive crunch.
• If your claret pressure is higher than 180/120 mm Hg and you are experiencing signs of possible organ impairment such every bit chest pain, shortness of breath, dorsum pain, numbness/weakness, change in vision, difficulty speaking, practice non wait to see if your pressure level comes down on its ain. Telephone call 911.

AHA Recommendation

The American Heart Clan recommends habitation monitoring for all people with loftier blood pressure to help the healthcare provider make up one's mind whether treatments are working. Dwelling house monitoring (self-measured blood pressure level) is non a substitute for regular visits to your physician. If y'all have been prescribed medication to lower your claret pressure, don't stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor, even if your blood pressure readings are in the normal range during habitation monitoring.

Choosing a home blood force per unit area monitor

The American Heart Association recommends an automatic, gage-fashion, bicep (upper-arm) monitor.

• Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended considering they yield less reliable readings.
• Cull a monitor that has been validated. If you are unsure, ask your physician or chemist for communication or find options at validatebp.org(link opens in new window).
• When selecting a claret pressure monitor for a senior, significant adult female or child, make certain information technology is validated for these conditions.
• Make certain the cuff fits — measure out around your upper arm and choose a monitor that comes with the correct size cuff.

In one case you've purchased your monitor, bring it to your side by side appointment

Have your physician cheque to see that you lot are using information technology correctly and getting the same results every bit the equipment in the office. Program to bring your monitor in once a year to make sure the readings are authentic.

Home claret pressure level monitoring may exist especially useful for:

• Anyone diagnosed with high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension).
• Individuals starting high blood pressure treatment to determine its effectiveness.
• People requiring closer monitoring, particularly individuals with run a risk factors for high blood pressure and/or weather condition  related to high blood pressure.
• Pregnant women, experiencing pregnancy-induced hypertension and/or preeclampsia.
• Evaluating potentially false readings, like:
  • People who only have high readings at the doctor' southward office ("white coat" hypertension).
  • People who only take high readings at home but not at the physician' s office ("masked" hypertension).
• NOTE: People with atrial fibrillation or other arrhythmias may not be skillful candidates for habitation monitoring because electronic home blood pressure level devices may not be able to give authentic measurements. Ask your doctor to recommend a monitoring method that works for you.

Left-arm vs. right-arm blood pressure

Several studies have been done to determine what is a normal variation between right and left arm. In general, whatsoever difference of 10 mm Hg or less is considered normal and is not a cause for concern.

Why go on a blood pressure journal?

One blood pressure measurement is like a snapshot. It merely tells what your blood pressure is at that moment. A tape of readings taken over fourth dimension provides a "fourth dimension-lapse" picture of your blood pressure that can assist yous partner with your doctor to ensure that your treatments to lower loftier claret pressure (HBP or hypertension) are working.

Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed past scientific discipline and medicine advisers. Meet our editorial policies and staff.

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Source: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings/monitoring-your-blood-pressure-at-home

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