Quick Facts Overview:

1. If you have been previously diagnosed high blood pressure in history then you should start monitoring BP at home.
2. You should be using an automatic upper arm blood pressure machine to monitor your readings.
3. Read and Follow the proper instructions below for proper accuracy in your BP monitoring

Why you should Monitor your blood pressure at home?

If you diagnosed high blood pressure previously. So, Measuring blood pressuring at home is the only way to know whether your measurement are in limit or not. As high Blood Pressure have no prior warning, sign or even symptoms. So, that’s why most of people have no idea even if they have it.

Blood pressure monitoring is very important for pregnant women’s as high level of BP can create several risks for mother and child.

 

How to Monitor bp at Home easily?

Consult your doctor or your health adviser and update them your measurement data regularly. This is known as self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring.

 

What is SMBP?

This means measuring your own Blood pressure measurement without involvement of your health consultant or doctors. This is purely measure by your own personal BP device so you don’t have to visit to hospital for regular BP check. These type of home use blood pressure monitors are easy and safe to use them at home. These are very easy to operate at home you need little information about numbers from your health consultant. There are many Digital Blood Pressure Monitors available In the market now days.

If you use SMBP properly and inform to your health consultant then you are more likely to lower your BP measurements and keep them under control.

There are few additional tips while measuring the BP at home:

1. Use a blood pressure log to record your blood pressure measurements.
2. Always take your Blood pressure measurement on same time everyday.
3. Take atleast 2 readings, 2 to 3 minutes apart.

Discuss with your health consult on how often you should take measurement of your blood pressure when doing it by yourself at home. People who already having high blood pressure may have to monitor their blood pressure often more than the people who don’t have.

If you have no idea about the blood pressure numbers then you need to talk to your health consultant for proper information about numbers. They can suggest you a plan how to measure your BP with proper information.

Blood Pressure monitoring is not related to your age. You should take measurement or some steps to keep your blood pressure in healthy range.

 

How Health Consultant / Doctors measure your blood pressure?

First of all they wrap the BP measurement cuff on your upper arm. Then health consultant inflates the cuff after this cuff gently tightens on your arm. The cuff has a gauge on it that will measure your blood pressure and it placed on the heart beat nerve.

Then it slowly let the air out of the cuff while listening to your pulse reading the digital blood pressure measure the pulse reading. This process is a quick and painless.

If you record the Blood Pressure high then you need to consult with your health consultant/Doctor to get your BP within limit. By controlling your BP will help in lowering chances of heart Disease and Stroke.

 

How to choose which perfect BP monitor is best for your home use?

As per A&D professional recommendations the digital upper arms (biceps) BP monitors are good for home use.

1. Wrist and finger BP monitors are less recommended as they offer very less reliable readings.
2. Always choose that BP monitor which is fully clinically validated. If you are not sure about it then you should seek help from your health consultant.
3. If your goal is to buy BP monitor for your old parents, pregnant women or children then make sure to check that they are validated according to them.
4. Most importantly choose the blood pressure monitor who have perfect fitting of cuffs as if cuffs are not properly fit to your upper arm then measurement can be incorrect.

Once you purchase you BP monitor then you should take that to your health consultant and show them the readings. So that they can check that you are using the BP monitor correctly and getting the same reading or not. So that they can assist you better on how to use the device.

 

How to use a Digital Blood Pressure at Home for correct readings?

You can discuss with your health consultant to understand how to use the Blood Pressure in correct way to get accurate readings and you wear the cuff in correct posture and size should be perfectly fit on your upper arm. If cuffs are not properly fit then your readings will be inaccurate.

 

Step to follow when measuring the BP readings:

1. Plan ahead: When before measuring your BP readings avoid smoking, drinking or even any physical exercise and also empty your bladder for better precise readings.
2. Don’t keep the cloths on the arm: Remove any kind of the cloth covering your arm which is being used to measure your BP
3. Use any Arm for measurement: Usually there is no restriction on using any arm for the BP measurement.
4. Be Still: You should be quite and not eating at least 5 minutes at the time of measuring the BP readings. And don’t try to talk or phone also.
5. Sit correctly and comfortable: Keep your arm on flat surface and keep it at the heart level. You can also keep or take support of pillow below your arm.
6. Measure readings at same time every day: Take your BP measurement at same time everyday. Keep informed your health consultant about your readings and ask them how often you need to measure your BP readings.
7. Take multiple readings and record the results: When ever you take the readings, try to take two readings one minute apart. If your BP monitor doesn’t have the inbuilt memory then take a printout of readings for your doctor to check.

 

What are the numbers to know before measuring the BP readings?