Do-it-yourself blood pressure monitoring
To check your blood pressure these days, all you have to do is walk into a drugstore or an airport, sit down, place your arm in the cuff, watch it pump up and bingo! You've got your reading. But is it accurate? Can you really trust it? And if you're wanting to keep tabs on your blood pressure at home, should you buy a home monitor?
The Heart and Stroke Foundation says do-it-yourself blood pressure monitoring can be a good idea. But you've got to do it right. Dr. Thomas Wilson, a Heart and Stroke researcher in Saskatoon, estimates that many Canadians buy monitors without ever being properly instructed in their use. This could have serious health consequences, he warns.
Here are 10 important steps for proper blood pressure monitoring.
- Inform your healthcare provider that you want to monitor your own blood pressure. Remember that it is not a substitute for professional monitoring.
- Choose a unit that has been approved by the Canadian Hypertension Society and tested to meet validation requirements of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. Your healthcare professional, pharmacist or family doctor can help you choose the appropriate monitor for you and your cuff size.
- Compare your readings with those performed by a healthcare professional on a regular basis to make sure you're on track.
- Learn how to properly position the cuff around your arm and understand what your readings mean. Your arm should be at heart level and resting on a table or on the arm of a chair.
- Refrain from drinking or eating anything hot for at least an hour before taking your blood pressure.
- Wear loose clothing.
- Rest for at least two minutes before slipping on the cuff.
- Keep both feet on the floor, legs uncrossed.
- Sit in a comfortable position with proper support for your back.
- Stay focused and calm. Try not to talk to anybody while monitoring your blood pressure.
Last reviewed April 2007
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© – Reproduced with permission of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2007
