1. Choose Your Wrist or Arm
You can get a home blood pressure monitor to use on your arm or one to use on your wrist. Both have a cuff that wraps around and give a reading within the same amount of time. Some people prefer wrist models because the arm cuffs are more restricting, especially for people with large arms. But readings from wrist monitors are slightly less reliable than those from arm monitors. The arm is closer to the heart than the wrist so blood pressure readings you take from the arm are truer to your actual blood pressure.
2. Go Manual or Automatic
Manual blood pressure monitors have a bulb you need to pump to inflate the cuff, as well as a dial you need to read, whereas automatic monitors inflate with a push of a button and feature an easily readable digital display screen. Both provide an accurate blood pressure reading, but automatic monitors are more sensitive to temperature and movement. Consider these pros and cons when choosing your blood pressure monitor.
3. Maintain Your Monitor
Take care of your blood pressure monitor to make sure that it stays in good working order and continues to give accurate readings. Keep it away from moisture or extreme temperatures. Change the batteries in your monitor once a year. If the inflatable cuff on your monitor loses its elasticity or doesn't fit as well, replace the cuff if it can be removed or consider replacing the whole monitor.
4. Consider Extra Features
You can find blood pressure monitors with lots of features to help you monitor your heart health. Many monitors have memory storage to store readings for future reference; blood pressure monitors can store anywhere from fifty readings to a few hundred. Other monitors measure pulse rate and detect irregular heartbeats in addition to monitoring blood pressure. These extra features make monitors more beneficial but also more expensive, so check out all of your options before you buy your blood pressure monitor.
5. Get An Accurate Blood Pressure Reading
Keep your blood pressure monitor on a level surface when you take your reading. Take your reading at the same time every day and sit still for at least five minutes before you take your reading to get consistent results. Stay away from high sodium foods and caffeinated beverages that can raise your blood pressure and don't exercise for at least a half an hour before you take your readings.
