What Pressure Should My Blood Pressure Monitor Be Set At

[Sebastian Thorndike]

TheAmerican Heart Association (AHA) and other organizations recommend that people with high blood pressure monitor their blood pressure at home. Regularly checking blood pressure at home helps your care providers find out if treatment is working.

Most pharmacies, medical supply stores and some websites sell home blood pressure monitors. Experts recommend an automatic or electronic device. Your healthcare professional can help you pick the monitor that's best for you.

Some people with very large arms may not have access to a well-fitting upper arm cuff at home. If so, measuring blood pressure at the wrist or lower arm may be OK if used as directed and checked against measurements taken in your healthcare professional's office. For the most reliable blood pressure measurement, the American Heart Association recommends using a monitor with a cuff that goes around your upper arm, when available.

No matter what type of home blood pressure monitor you choose, proper use requires training and practice. Take the device to your healthcare professional to make sure the one you've chosen is the best fit for you. Learn to use the monitor correctly.

Contact your healthcare professional if you have any unusual increases in your blood pressure or if your blood pressure stays higher than usual. Ask them at what reading you should call the medical office right away.

If you have an electronic personal health record, you might choose to record your information using a computer or mobile device. This gives you the choice of sharing your readings with your healthcare team and family members. Some blood pressure monitors upload this data automatically.

If your blood pressure is well controlled, ask your healthcare professional how often you need to check it. You might be able to check it only once a day or less often. If you're just starting home monitoring or changing treatment, they might recommend checking blood pressure starting two weeks after treatment changes and a week before your next appointment.

Home blood pressure monitoring is not a substitute for medical visits. Home blood pressure monitors might not always be correct. Even if you get readings that are typical for you, don't stop or change your medicine or your diet without talking to your care team first. However, if continued home monitoring shows that your blood pressure is under control, you might be able to make fewer medical visits.

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High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to serious health problems including heart attack or stroke. Measuring your blood pressure is the only way to know if you have it. Controlling high blood pressure can help prevent major health problems.

In hypertension Stage 1, your health care professional is likely to prescribe lifestyle changes. They may consider adding medication based on your risk of heart disease or stroke and should add medication if you have other conditions such as diabetes, heart failure and kidney disease.

A higher systolic or diastolic reading may be used to diagnose high blood pressure. But the systolic blood pressure tells more about risk factors for heart disease for people over 50. As people get older, their systolic blood pressure usually goes up because:

The American Heart Association recommends home monitoring for all people with high blood pressure to help their health care professional know if treatments are working. Home monitoring can also be used to confirm the diagnosis of high blood pressure. However, home monitoring does not replace regular doctor visits. Do not stop taking blood pressure medication without checking with your health care professional regardless of your readings during home monitoring.

Have your health care professional check to see that you are using it correctly and getting the same results as the equipment in the office. Plan to bring your monitor in once a year, or as directed by the company, to make sure the readings are accurate.

One blood pressure measurement is like a snapshot. It tells what your blood pressure is at that moment. A record of readings taken over time provides a more complete picture of your blood pressure. This can help you work with your doctor to make sure that your treatments to reduce your blood pressure are working.

Place the cuff on your bare upper arm one inch above the bend of your elbow. Make sure the tubing falls over the front center of your arm so that the sensor is correctly placed. Pull the end of the cuff so that it's evenly tight around your arm. You should place it tight enough so that you can only slip two fingertips under the top edge of the cuff. Make sure your skin doesn't pinch when the cuff inflates.

To get started, wait a moment, then press start. Remain still and quiet as the machine begins measuring. The cuff will inflate, then slowly deflate so that the machine can take your measurement. When the reading is complete, the monitor displays your blood pressure and pulse on the digital panel. If the monitor doesn't record a reading, reposition the cuff and try again. Rest quietly and wait about one to two minutes before taking another measurement.

Record your numbers, either by writing the information down or by entering the information into an electronic personal health record. Some monitors can upload your blood pressure readings automatically into a computer or mobile device.

Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood into your arteries. A blood pressure measurement is a test that measures the force (pressure) in your arteries as your heart pumps. Blood pressure is measured as two numbers:

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects tens of millions of adults in the United States. It increases the risk of life-threatening conditions including heart attack and stroke. But high blood pressure rarely causes symptoms. A blood pressure measurement helps diagnose high blood pressure early, so it may be treated before it leads to serious complications.

Blood pressure that's too low, known as hypotension, is much less common. But you may get tested for low blood pressure if you have certain symptoms. Unlike high blood pressure, low blood pressure usually causes symptoms. These include:

A blood pressure measurement is often included as part of a regular checkup. Adults 18 years and older should have their blood pressure measured at least once every two to five years. You should get tested every year if you have certain risk factors. You may be at higher risk if you:

Your results, also known as a blood pressure reading, will contain two numbers. The top or first number is the systolic pressure. The bottom or second number is the diastolic pressure. High blood pressure readings are also labeled by categories, ranging from normal to crisis. Your reading may show your blood pressure is:

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your provider may recommend lifestyle changes and/or medicines to control your blood pressure. Your provider may also recommend that you regularly check your blood pressure at home with an automated blood pressure monitor. An at-home blood pressure monitor usually includes a blood pressure cuff and a digital device to record and display blood pressure readings.

Home monitoring is not a replacement for regular visits to your provider. But it can provide important information, such as whether treatment is working or your condition may have worsened. Also, home monitoring may make the test less stressful. Many people get nervous about getting their blood pressure taken at a provider's office. This is called "white coat syndrome." It can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure, making the results less accurate. For more information about home monitoring of blood pressure, talk to your provider.

If you were tested for low blood pressure, a blood pressure reading of 90 systolic, 60 diastolic (90/60) or lower is considered abnormal. Treatments for low blood pressure may include medicines and making certain changes to your diet.

Home blood pressure monitoring provides important diagnostic information beyond in-office blood pressure readings and offers similar results to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Home blood pressure monitoring involves patients independently measuring their blood pressure with an electronic device, whereas ambulatory blood pressure monitoring involves patients wearing a portable monitor for 24 to 48 hours. Although ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is the diagnostic standard for measurement, home blood pressure monitoring is more practical and accessible to patients, and its use is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association. Home blood pressure monitoring generally results in lower blood pressure readings than in-office measurements, can confirm the diagnosis of hypertension after an elevated office blood pressure reading, and can identify patients with white coat hypertension or masked hypertension. Best practices for home blood pressure monitoring include using an appropriately fitting upper-arm cuff on a bare arm, emptying the bladder, avoiding caffeinated beverages for 30 minutes before taking the measurement, resting for five minutes before taking the measurement, keeping the feet on the floor uncrossed and the arm supported with the cuff at heart level, and not talking during the reading. An average of multiple readings, ideally two readings in the morning and again in the evening separated by at least one minute each, is recommended for one week. Home blood pressure readings can be used in hypertension quality measures.

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