Blood pressure monitors are becoming more user friendly so it is quite easy to check your blood pressure at home. If you have high blood pressure or other heart disease, tracking your blood pressure can be important to your health. Home blood pressure monitors are not very expensive, especially if you buy the manual rather than the digital kind.
There is one thing that you have to be aware of when choosing a blood pressure monitor, though, and that is the size of your arm. The standard cuff that usually comes with it, if it does not fit properly, may not give an accurate reading. Therefore you will need to size up in order to ensure a proper fit. The same goes for children and those with small arms. You need to purchase a pediatric size in that case.
Protect your monitor to keep it safe from damage. Store it in a protective case when not in use. Don’t let it get too hot like it might in a locked car on a hot day. If you drop the monitor, check it against another monitor to make sure it is still accurate. Check your cuff and tubing for cracks and leaks before each use. Be careful not to submerge your blood pressure monitor in water.
There are some things you should make sure of before taking your blood pressure. The first being that a blood pressure reading must be taken while in a resting position, which means no movements, unless your doctor instructs you to do otherwise. It is also recommended to take it under the same conditions each time. This would mean you should avoid exercising, eating or smoking for a minimum of thirty minutes before you take your blood pressure.
Today with cell phones being a common thing to own, you need to be sure to avoid it while taking your blood pressure reading since it could cause an inaccurate reading. You should also remember to sit still when using your digital blood pressure monitor and not move around while it is operating since this will also cause an inaccurate reading.
If you at any time notice the readings from the monitor are strange, then you will have to repeat the test after a few minutes. That also means that the cuff will have to be removed and once you are about to redo the test, the cuff has to be put on again.
All blood pressure monitors should be checked periodically for accuracy. The best way to do that is to take your blood pressure monitor with you to the doctor’s office so your doctor can take your blood pressure with his equipment and yours at the same time so you can compare results.
Consistency is the key to tracking your blood pressure. Your blood pressure rises and falls as you go about your day. It might be difficult to spot a pattern if your blood pressure is elevated because you just walked up a flight of stairs as opposed to being elevated at rest. Therefore take your blood pressure in a consistent manner at the same time each day.
Some blood pressure monitors will store your results in memory but it doesn’t hurt to write your results in a blood pressure diary also. That way you can jot notes about your health at the time and if you were relaxed at the time of the reading. The more information you supply to your doctor, the better diagnosis and treatment he will be able to give to you.
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