What Is Hypertension?
Since February is Heart Awareness Month, I thought I would share some information on hypertension, or high blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the most common health conditions that I treat. One thing about hypertension that has changed in medicine recently is the acceptance that home blood pressure monitoring is felt to be just as important, if not more important, than blood pressure monitoring at the doctor’s office. It is not uncommon for blood pressure to be higher in the doctor’s office than it is at home, at work or other familiar environments. With that said, it is critical that you check your blood pressure the right way. Here are the steps to take if checking your blood pressure yourself:
- Rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes before checking your blood pressure. This is perhaps one of the most important steps to get an accurate reading. After all, we are checking a resting blood pressure. Your blood pressure will naturally increase with movement and exercise.
- Sit on a chair with your back supported and your feet on the ground.
- Put the cuff on per the cuff instructions; be sure your cuff is the correct size because a cuff that is too small will make your blood pressure appear higher than it actually is.
- With your arm resting comfortably on a table (or approximately at the level of your heart), push the button to start the machine.
- It is not necessary to check your blood pressure numerous times per day. If you can get a reading daily or several times per week, this is enough for your doctor to make decisions about treatment for high blood pressure.
- Record your blood pressure on your phone or a piece of paper. Some blood pressure cuffs store multiple readings or even sync to your phone via Bluetooth.
Not all blood pressure cuffs are created equal. Wrist blood pressure cuffs are less accurate, so be sure to use an upper arm cuff. You don’t need anything fancy, but you may want to check this list for standardized blood pressure cuffs: validatebp.org. When in doubt, bring your cuff to your next doctor appointment to compare your cuff side-by-side with the office cuff.
