If you're taking medication or alternative therapies and would like to take a proactive role in your health care, checking your own blood pressure at home is a great way to participate. It's a good idea to take regular readings if you have hypertension and use a home blood pressure monitor, whether it be an digital machine or a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff with the help of another person. Blood pressure varies throughout the day, and is generally at its highest first thing in the morning and after eating. Checking it at those times is no different than at other times during the day, but you should expect a different reading. Taking your blood pressure throughout the day will give you a more accurate picture, notes the Mayo Clinic. Taking it regularly will give you a baseline for what is normal for you and make sure your staying within guidelines and that your cuff is working properly.
Step 1
Sit calmly before taking your blood pressure. Refrain from smoking cigarettes or drinking caffeine immediately before taking a reading, recommends Barbara Bates, M.D. in her book "Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking." Rest your feet flat on the floor with your legs uncrossed. Rest your arm on a table or pillow for support.
Step 2
Place the cuff around your arm if using a conventional cuff with a separate stethoscope. Wrap it against bare skin and fasten snugly but not too tight. You should be able to slip one finger under the cuff, according to the Family Doctor.com. Do not speak or move around while taking a reading. The Family Doctor website suggests taking a second reading after waiting a few minutes to ascertain the cuff's accuracy.
Step 3
Place the stethoscope ear pieces into your ears and tap the other end to chech that it's working properly, if using the traditional blood pressure cuff. Place the disk of the stethoscope on the artery at the inner side of the elbow.
Step 4
Squeeze the ball end of the pump on the blood pressure cuff to inflate. FamilyDoctor.org recommends that the cuff be inflated to where the gauge reads 30 to 40 points above the last blood pressure reading. If there is no previous reading available, inflate the cuff so it is tight on the skin.
Step 5
Turn the knob on the pump slowly to release the air in the cuff. While listening for the first beat, watch the gauge and not the number, which is the systolic or top number. Continue to listen until the beating sounds stop or changes timbre and that is the second number or diastolic reading.
Step 6
Deflate the cuff completely and remove from the arm.
Step 7
Use an automatic digital cuff if you are taking your own blood pressure. It's much easier to use and you can do it on your own. Refer to the user manual for your particular machine.
Step 8
Record your blood pressure readings and the time of day you take them in a log book that you can take with you to the doctor's office.
Tips and Warnings
- Contact your doctor if your readings vary more than a few points either up or down, suggests the Life Clinic. Ask the doctor what a normal reading is for you. Find out what reading should trigger a call to the doctor. Add this information to your log book to help you remember. Have your blood pressure monitor rechecked for accuracy at your doctor's office several times a year. If your arm is larger than average, oversized cuffs are available.
- The information offered here is for educational purposes and is not meant to take the place of medical advice.
Things You'll Need
- Home blood pressure monitor
References
- "Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking;" Barbara Bates, M.D., 2000
- LifeClinic: How to Check Your Blood Pressure
- Family Doctor.org: Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home
