Measure Your Own Blood Pressure at Home – It’s Worthwhile

If you have high blood pressure you should measure it at home, too. It’s not the best solution to rely on the readings you get at the doctors office or even at the local pharmacy. There are good reasons for home monitoring. First, the readings at the doctors office may be influenced by what’s called “white-coat hypertension”, when the excitement (for want of a better word) of a visit to the doctor is enough to send your pressure up; this can occur in up to 20% of patients. Second, blood pressure fluctuates during the day, according to different influences – meals, naps, exercise, and so on. A reading at the doctor’s office once every 3 months is not a reliable way to see how you are doing. Third, if you are on blood pressure medications, you can see if they are working as they should – and report to the doctor if there seems to be a problem.

The American Heart Association has made the following points about home blood pressure monitors:

1. Buy a monitor with a cuff that fits the upper arm. Have a health professional show you how to use the cuff. Wrist monitors are not recommended.
2. Take two or three readings at a time, one minute apart, while rested and sitting. The upper arm should be at heart level and supported, with the feet on the floor, uncrossed.
3. Take readings at the same time each day, such as morning and evening, or as your doctor recommends.
4. A total of 12 or more readings should be available before the clinical decisions are taken.
5. The target home blood pressure measured goal for treatment should be below 135/85 mm Hg, or below 130/80 mm Hg in high-risk patients.

Of course, the most reliable indication of abnormal blood pressure readings comes from a 24-hour ambulatory monitor. Home readings using a regular sphygmomanometer have been shown to correlate more closely with such 24-hour readings than with doctor’s office results; and they are much more practical, cheaper, and easier to collect than using the ambulatory apparatus.

Clearly, home blood pressure reading should improve the quality of care, and deserves to be reimbursed by healthcare providers. The patient should just make sure that she/he acquires a good apparatus and follows the points outlined by the American Heart Association, above.

Comments

[AZReam]

Also note that even few clinicians realize that conventional blood pressure cuff bladders have off-centered tubes that are typically right or left arm specific. Unless properly placed, pressure may be exerted on the bone instead of on the artery which can lead to inaccurate readings.

TRIMLINE's BALANCED Bladder design has centered tubes, is longer, and more fully encircles the arm as recommended by the American Society of Hypertension and the American Heart Association. This design facilitates accurate blood pressure readings on both right and left arms and helps practitioners achieve optimal arterial compression.