Monitoring Your Blood Pressure at Home
By Alan S. Peterson, M.D.
Why should I monitor my blood pressure at home?
Monitoring your blood pressure at home helps you and your doctor choose how to treat your high blood pressure (hypertension). Controlling it can help lower the risk of problems with your heart, kidneys, and eyes.
How do I monitor my blood pressure at home?
There are many easy-to-use blood pressure monitors available. You can buy them at most drugstores and medical supply stores. Electronic blood pressure monitors display your blood pressure. The cuffs can be inflated by hand or automatically. I prefer the automatic ones for ease of use. Also those that wrap around the upper arm are usually more accurate than wrist or finger cuffs.
Please be sure to use a cuff that fits you, and don’t wear tight clothes when checking your blood pressure. Rest quietly before and during measurement. Rest your arm at the level of your heart during measurement. Don’t exercise or use any caffeine, nicotine, or other stimulants 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure. I tell my patients to wait at 5 minutes after sitting before they take their pressure.
Your doctor or pharmacist can help you choose the monitor and teach you how to use it. Consumer Reports also updates their list of best home blood pressure monitors for accuracy, durability and cost periodically in their magazine and on their website.
How often should I monitor my blood pressure?
This depends on several things, such as your usual blood pressure and how well it is controlled, as well as other diseases you may have. Your doctor will tell you how often to check your blood pressure. Also depending upon your health or your diagnoses the goal for your blood pressure may be different. For example, if you have diabetes, heart disease, or kidney disease, your goal should probably be less than 130/80.
What should my blood pressure be?
This varies from person to person. Your doctor will tell you what your goal should be. Also ask your doctor what to do if you get readings above or below what your goal is. Frequently when your blood pressure medications are changed, it takes a while for your blood pressure to react to the new medication. Again, your physician will tell you what to be expecting.
Lowering your salt (sodium) intake and losing weight can help many with hypertension.
Blood pressure is a very important issue. You usually don’t have any pain so the damage from high blood pressure goes on without any symptoms until you develop a stroke, heart attack, or poor vision as a result. Many believe, for example, in those that are diabetic, that it is more important to control the blood pressure than it is to even control the blood sugar.
For more information, talk to your family doctor or medical provider. Also the American Academy of Physicians has an excellent online site at
www.familydoctor.org.
Dr. Peterson is a doctor of Family and Community Medicine at the Walter L. Aument Family Health Center, 317 S. Chestnut St., Quarryville.