It can be quite difficult to take your own blood pressure if you are using the traditional method. If possible, get someone to help and take your blood pressure for you. When purchasing an at-home blood pressure monitor, make sure that the cuff (the part that goes around your arm) fits you appropriately, that you can read the monitor easily, and that it is affordable. Many insurance plans will help pay for blood pressure monitoring machines. [5] X Research source Most of these machines are automated. You simply put on the cuff, hit start and wait for your results. Avoid sugars, caffeine, and excessive stress before taking your blood pressure. These three triggers will elevate your blood pressure and give you a false reading. If you insist on taking your own blood pressure at home, do so three times in order to make sure that you are doing it right. Make sure that you are comfortably seated, relaxed, and have your arm at or near your heart level. If you notice that each reading is higher than the last, allow a little more time between readings. It is important to note that most machines need to be calibrated. In order to know if a device is accurate, it should be checked at the doctor’s office once per year and compared to their blood pressure monitor for accuracy.
Since your blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day, you’ll want to take multiple readings at different times throughout the day (over the course of two to three weeks for the most accuracy) and average these readings.
40 mmHg- A pulse pressure of 40 is considered normal, but 40 to 60 is a relatively healthy range. [7] X Trustworthy Source American Heart Association Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education Go to source
A one-time reading over 60 mmHg may be to worry about. If this is a trend you notice over a few weeks, however, it’s important to contact your doctor and set up an appointment. Oftentimes emotional and physical stress, as well as pain, can cause significant increases in pulse pressure as well. Stress can cause significant increases in pulse pressure. [9] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Again, you want to make sure this is a trend and not an isolated, one-time reading under 40 mmHg. Do not try to interpret or diagnose the results on your own. If you have a trend of blood pressure readings under 40 mmHg, then your physician must be consulted for further interpretation.
