MONITOR YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AT HOME
You’re probably not visiting your doctor in person as much during this pandemic time. Yet if you have high blood pressure, it’s more important than ever that you monitor it at home on a regular basis. My August 2019 post The Highs & Lows of Your Blood Pressure Reading gave pointers on how to increase the accuracy of your reading. Now I want to give you more information on how to get the maximum benefit on taking your readings at home. I found an online article by Mayo Clinic Staff, Get the most out of home blood pressure monitoring, that gives detailed information. Here are excerpts:
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that if you have high blood pressure to monitor it at home. Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure in a familiar setting, make certain your medication is working, and alert you and your doctor to potential health complications.
Blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription, so home monitoring is an easy step toward improving your condition. Before you start, it’s important to know the right technique and to find a good home blood pressure monitor.
Why do I need to monitor my blood pressure at home?
Monitoring your blood pressure at home can:
- Help with early diagnosis.Self-monitoring can help your doctor diagnose high blood pressure earlier than if you have only occasional blood pressure readings in a medical office..
- Help track your treatment.The only way to know whether your lifestyle changes or medications are working is to check your blood pressure regularly..
- Encourage better control.Self-monitoring can give you a stronger sense of responsibility for your health. You may feel even more motivated to control your blood pressure with an improved diet, physical activity and proper medication use.
- Cut your health care costs.Self-monitoring might decrease your number of visits to your doctor or clinic.
- Check if your blood pressure differs outside the doctor’s office.Some people experience spikes in blood pressure due to anxiety associated with seeing a doctor (white coat hypertension). Monitoring blood pressure at home can help determine if you have true high blood pressure.
Types of home monitors
Most pharmacies, medical supply stores and some websites sell home blood pressure monitors. An automatic or electronic device is recommended. Discuss the choices with your doctor so that you pick the monitor that’s best for your situation.
Monitors generally have the same basic parts:
- Inflatable cuff.The cuff’s inner layer fills with air and squeezes your arm. The cuff’s outer layer has a fastener to hold the cuff in place. Heart rate and blood flow are automatically calculated by measuring the changes in the motion of your artery as the blood flows through while the cuff deflates.
- Gauge for readouts.Some blood pressure monitors can take multiple readings and report the averages.
Digital monitors that are fitted on the upper arm are generally the most accurate.
Tips for accurate use
No matter what type of home blood pressure monitor you choose, proper use requires training and practice..
To help ensure accurate blood pressure monitoring at home:
- Check your device’s accuracy.Before using a monitor for the first time, have your doctor check its accuracy against the office model. Also have your doctor watch you use the device to see if you’re doing it properly. If you drop the device or damage it, have it checked before using it again.
- Measure your blood pressure twice daily.The first measurement should be in the morning before eating or taking any medications, and the second in the evening. Each time you measure, take two or three readings to make sure your results are accurate. Your doctor might recommend taking your blood pressure at the same times each day.
- Don’t measure your blood pressure right after you wake up.You can prepare for the day, but don’t eat breakfast or take medications before measuring your blood pressure. If you exercise after waking, take your blood pressure before exercising.
- Avoid food, caffeine, tobacco and alcohol for 30 minutes before taking a measurement.Also, go to the toilet first. A full bladder can increase blood pressure slightly.
- Sit quietly before and during monitoring.When you’re ready to take your blood pressure, sit for five minutes in a comfortable position with your legs and ankles uncrossed and your back supported against a chair. Try to be calm and not think about stressful things. Don’t talk while taking your blood pressure.
- Make sure your arm is positioned properly.Always use the same arm when taking your blood pressure. Rest your arm, raised to the level of your heart, on a table, desk or chair arm.
- Place the cuff on bare skin, not over clothing.Rolling up a sleeve until it tightens around your arm can result in an inaccurate reading, so you may need to slip your arm out of the sleeve.
- Take a repeat reading.Wait for one to three minutes after the first reading, and then take another to check accuracy. If your monitor doesn’t automatically log blood pressure readings or heart rates, write them down.
Blood pressure varies throughout the day, and readings are often a little higher in the morning. Also, your blood pressure might be slightly lower at home than in a medical office, typically by about five points.
Contact your doctor if you have any unusual or persistent increases in your blood pressure. Ask your doctor what reading should prompt an immediate call to the medical office.
Long-term benefits
Home blood pressure monitoring is not a substitute for visits to your doctor, and home blood pressure monitors may have some limitations. Even if you get normal readings, don’t stop or change your medications or alter your diet without talking to your doctor first. However, if continued home monitoring shows your blood pressure is under control, you might be able to make fewer appointments with your doctor.
Monitoring your blood pressure at home doesn’t have to be complicated or inconvenient. In the long run, you might risk fewer complications related to high blood pressure and enjoy a healthier life.