If you have a certain medical condition or if you have reached a particular age, you might start thinking about monitoring your blood pressure at home yourself. Yes, you can always go to the GP to have it done, but that costs time (and in most countries, money) which you might not have. So, what about monitoring your blood pressure at home?
How accurate are blood pressure monitors for home use? The fact is that modern monitors are very accurate, yet you should still continue normal visits to your GP, who will verify the results of your home monitor.
If your doctor has determined that you have high blood pressure (hypertension), he or she will probably recommend lifestyle changes or / and medication. It is very difficult to introduce lifestyle alterations, so if you do, monitoring your hypertension at home and seeing reductions can be very satisfying, but it can also work the other way around if the changes do not appear to be having any impact.
Whilst you are deciding which home blood pressure monitor to buy, there are two basic choices: the aneroid and digital monitors. The digital monitors have either an automatic or a hand-pumpable cuff.
The other types are finger or wrist monitors, yet these ought to be avoided as they give fairly erratic or inaccurate readings and they are a lot dearer too. If you do purchase one of these monitors, take it with you to your physician's and compare its performance against a sphygmomanometer, which is considered the gold standard of blood pressure monitors.
So, let us take for granted, that you buy a proper monitor with a cuff, the first thing to do to ensure maximum accuracy is to get a cuff that fits you well. This is not usually difficult, but if you are large or small, the instruments within the cuff may not be able to give an accurate reading.
If you want an accurate reading, you ought to wait at least 45 minutes after drinking caffeine before taking a reading. In fact, you should sit quietly for at least ten minutes, before taking any reading. Other precautions are to go to the bathroom first, not to have smoked or to have taken any alcohol recently. In addition, strap the cuff at least an inch above the crease of your elbow.
You will be hoping for a reading below 120/80 which is considered 'normal'. Readings between normal and 140/90 indicate prehypertension and denote that you have to take some action to avoid entering 'Stage One Hypertension', which is anything more than this reading.
Contemporary home digital monitors over a particular price are highly accurate. The digital home monitor that I use was $100 four years ago, so it should be cheaper now. It was tested against a sphygmomanometer (the type doctors use) and it was always within the limits of accuracy prescribed by the American National Standard for Electronic or Automated Sphygmomanometers. Look for that guarantee, if you buy a home monitor.
How accurate are blood pressure monitors for home use? The fact is that modern monitors are very accurate, yet you should still continue normal visits to your GP, who will verify the results of your home monitor.
If your doctor has determined that you have high blood pressure (hypertension), he or she will probably recommend lifestyle changes or / and medication. It is very difficult to introduce lifestyle alterations, so if you do, monitoring your hypertension at home and seeing reductions can be very satisfying, but it can also work the other way around if the changes do not appear to be having any impact.
Whilst you are deciding which home blood pressure monitor to buy, there are two basic choices: the aneroid and digital monitors. The digital monitors have either an automatic or a hand-pumpable cuff.
The other types are finger or wrist monitors, yet these ought to be avoided as they give fairly erratic or inaccurate readings and they are a lot dearer too. If you do purchase one of these monitors, take it with you to your physician's and compare its performance against a sphygmomanometer, which is considered the gold standard of blood pressure monitors.
So, let us take for granted, that you buy a proper monitor with a cuff, the first thing to do to ensure maximum accuracy is to get a cuff that fits you well. This is not usually difficult, but if you are large or small, the instruments within the cuff may not be able to give an accurate reading.
If you want an accurate reading, you ought to wait at least 45 minutes after drinking caffeine before taking a reading. In fact, you should sit quietly for at least ten minutes, before taking any reading. Other precautions are to go to the bathroom first, not to have smoked or to have taken any alcohol recently. In addition, strap the cuff at least an inch above the crease of your elbow.
You will be hoping for a reading below 120/80 which is considered 'normal'. Readings between normal and 140/90 indicate prehypertension and denote that you have to take some action to avoid entering 'Stage One Hypertension', which is anything more than this reading.
Contemporary home digital monitors over a particular price are highly accurate. The digital home monitor that I use was $100 four years ago, so it should be cheaper now. It was tested against a sphygmomanometer (the type doctors use) and it was always within the limits of accuracy prescribed by the American National Standard for Electronic or Automated Sphygmomanometers. Look for that guarantee, if you buy a home monitor.
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on several of subjects, but is currently involved with work on how to read blood pressure. If you want to know more or check out some great offers, just go to our website at High Blood Pressure Recipes.
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