What are the essential steps for measuring blood pressure at home. How can you ensure accurate readings when using a home blood pressure monitor. What factors can affect blood pressure measurements at home.

Preparing for Home Blood Pressure Measurement

Accurate blood pressure measurement at home requires proper preparation. To ensure reliable readings, follow these key steps:

• Avoid activities that can temporarily raise blood pressure, such as eating, smoking, consuming caffeinated drinks, or exercising, for at least 30 minutes before measurement.
• Empty your bladder before taking a reading.
• Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably a short-sleeved shirt or one with easily rolled-up sleeves.
• Rest for five minutes in a quiet environment before taking your blood pressure.
• Sit comfortably at a desk or table with your back supported and feet flat on the floor.
• Position your arm at heart level, resting on a firm surface.
• Ensure you’re relaxed and comfortable, as anxiety can temporarily elevate blood pressure.

Proper Technique for Using a Home Blood Pressure Monitor

To obtain accurate blood pressure readings at home, it’s crucial to follow the correct technique:

1. Carefully read and follow the instructions provided with your home blood pressure monitor.
2. Place the arm cuff approximately 2cm above your elbow to ensure proper detection of the artery.
3. Remain still and quiet during the measurement process.
4. Take two to three readings, each spaced one to two minutes apart.
5. If the first reading is significantly higher than subsequent ones, disregard it and take an additional reading.
6. Calculate the average of your readings for a more accurate representation of your blood pressure.

Why is it important to take multiple readings?

Taking multiple readings helps account for natural fluctuations in blood pressure and provides a more reliable overall assessment. By averaging multiple measurements, you can obtain a more accurate representation of your blood pressure status.

Best Practices for Home Blood Pressure Monitoring

To maximize the benefits of home blood pressure monitoring, consider the following best practices:

• Initially measure blood pressure in both arms and subsequently use the arm that consistently yields higher readings.
• Consistently use the same arm for measurements, preferably the one your healthcare provider uses during check-ups.
• Establish a routine by taking readings at the same time each day, such as before breakfast or before bedtime.
• Record your measurements exactly as displayed on the monitor, without rounding up or down.
• Don’t be alarmed by occasional unexpected high readings; repeat the measurement after resting for five minutes.
• Understand that small variations in blood pressure readings are normal and not cause for concern.
• Avoid checking your blood pressure too frequently, as this may lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety.

How often should you measure your blood pressure at home?

The frequency of home blood pressure monitoring depends on individual circumstances and your healthcare provider’s recommendations. Generally, measuring once or twice a day at consistent times is sufficient for most people. However, consult your doctor for personalized advice on monitoring frequency.

Understanding and Interpreting Home Blood Pressure Readings

Interpreting your home blood pressure readings is essential for effectively managing your cardiovascular health. Here are some key points to consider:

• Blood pressure is typically expressed as two numbers: systolic pressure over diastolic pressure (e.g., 120/80 mmHg).
• Generally, a reading below 120/80 mmHg is considered normal for adults.
• Readings between 120-129/80 mmHg indicate elevated blood pressure.
• Consistent readings of 130/80 mmHg or higher may indicate hypertension.
• Keep in mind that blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day due to various factors.

What should you do if you consistently get high blood pressure readings at home?

If you consistently obtain high blood pressure readings at home over a period of two to three weeks, it’s advisable to consult your healthcare provider. They can assess your situation, verify the accuracy of your home measurements, and determine if any changes to your treatment plan are necessary.

Factors That Can Affect Home Blood Pressure Readings

Several factors can influence your blood pressure readings at home, potentially leading to inaccurate results. Be aware of the following:

• Recent physical activity or exercise
• Consumption of caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine
• Stress, anxiety, or emotional state
• Full bladder
• Incorrect arm position or cuff placement
• Talking or moving during measurement
• Time of day (blood pressure naturally fluctuates)
• Certain medications

How can you minimize the impact of these factors on your readings?

To minimize the impact of these factors, ensure you follow the preparation steps mentioned earlier, maintain a consistent measurement routine, and avoid potential interfering activities before taking your blood pressure. Additionally, keeping a log of any relevant factors alongside your readings can help identify patterns and potential influences on your measurements.

Choosing the Right Home Blood Pressure Monitor

Selecting an appropriate home blood pressure monitor is crucial for obtaining accurate and reliable measurements. Consider the following factors when choosing a device:

• Accuracy: Look for monitors that have been clinically validated by recognized organizations.
• Cuff size: Ensure the cuff fits your arm properly for accurate readings.
• Ease of use: Choose a monitor with clear display and simple operation.
• Memory function: Opt for devices that can store multiple readings for easy tracking.
• Automatic vs. manual inflation: Automatic inflation is generally easier to use.
• Additional features: Some monitors offer Bluetooth connectivity, multiple user profiles, or irregular heartbeat detection.

Are wrist blood pressure monitors as accurate as upper arm monitors?

While wrist blood pressure monitors are more compact and convenient, they are generally considered less accurate than upper arm monitors. Upper arm monitors are typically recommended by healthcare professionals due to their greater reliability and consistency in measurements.

The Importance of Regular Calibration and Maintenance

To ensure continued accuracy of your home blood pressure monitor, regular calibration and maintenance are essential. Follow these guidelines:

• Check your monitor’s accuracy at least once a year by comparing its readings to those taken by a healthcare professional.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and storing your device.
• Replace batteries as needed and check for any signs of wear or damage.
• Consider having your monitor professionally serviced every two to three years.

How can you verify the accuracy of your home blood pressure monitor?

To verify your monitor’s accuracy, bring it to your next healthcare appointment and compare its readings with those taken by your healthcare provider. If there’s a significant discrepancy, consider having your device checked or replaced.

Tracking and Sharing Your Home Blood Pressure Readings

Effectively tracking and sharing your home blood pressure readings can greatly assist in managing your cardiovascular health. Consider these strategies:

• Use a dedicated blood pressure log or smartphone app to record your readings.
• Note the date, time, and any relevant factors alongside each measurement.
• Track trends over time rather than focusing on individual readings.
• Share your log with your healthcare provider during appointments.
• Some monitors offer digital sharing options to easily transmit data to your healthcare team.

How can tracking your blood pressure readings benefit your overall health management?

Consistently tracking your blood pressure readings allows you and your healthcare provider to identify patterns, assess the effectiveness of treatments or lifestyle changes, and make informed decisions about your cardiovascular health management. It empowers you to take an active role in your health and facilitates more productive discussions with your healthcare team.

Home blood pressure monitoring is a valuable tool for managing cardiovascular health, but it’s important to remember that it complements, rather than replaces, regular check-ups with your healthcare provider. By following proper techniques, maintaining your equipment, and consistently tracking your readings, you can gain valuable insights into your blood pressure trends and work more effectively with your healthcare team to optimize your cardiovascular health.

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How to measure your blood pressure at home.

Welcome to our home monitoring resource hub.

Here you can find resources for home monitoring, see our simple steps to get an accurate reading and make the most out of home monitoring.

Plus, read more about why home monitoring can be helpful and how to choose a monitor.

The first step to managing your blood pressure is to Know Your Numbers! Watch our video to see how to measure your blood pressure at home and use our tips and resources below to check your own blood pressure at home.

Home blood pressure monitoring resources

Download our Checking your blood pressure at home [PDF 113KB] poster and our Guidelines for home blood pressure testing [PDF 44KB] to print and keep at home as a guide.  

You can also download our ‘Measuring your blood pressure at home’ leaflet at the end of the page. This A5 booklet provides clear instructions on how to measure blood pressure at home. It covers how to choose an accurate monitor, how to use the machine correctly at home and when to measure.

Before you measure your blood pressure

• Avoid things that can raise your blood pressure in the short term. Don’t measure your blood pressure within half an hour of eating, smoking, drinking caffeinated drinks such as coffee, or exercising. These can all raise your blood pressure temporarily. If you need to use the toilet, go before you measure your blood pressure.
• Wear loose-fitting clothes. Wear a short-sleeved t-shirt or something with sleeves you can push up easily, nothing tight. This is so that you can fit the cuff around your arm.
• Rest for five minutes before you take your reading. Sit down somewhere quiet, ideally at a desk or table. Have your back supported with your arm resting on a firm surface and your feet flat on the floor. Stay in this position while you take your blood pressure.
• Make sure your arm is supported and at the same level as your heart. Position yourself so that your arm is resting on a surface and is at the same height as your heart. Keep your arm and hand relaxed, not tensed.
• Make sure you are relaxed and comfortable. If you are anxious or uncomfortable, your blood pressure will rise temporarily.

How to measure your blood pressure at home using a home monitor

1. Follow the instructions that came with your monitor. Make sure you place the cuff around your arm as described in the instructions.
2. Place the arm cuff just above your elbow. The cuff should be about 2cm above your elbow to make sure it can detect the artery in your arm, just under the skin.  
3. Keep still and quiet while you take your reading. Moving, chewing, talking and laughing can affect your reading. Make sure you don’t cross your legs, as this will raise your reading too.
4. Take two or three readings, each about one to two minutes apart. If your first reading is much higher than the next, ignore it and take an extra reading. Once you have two to three readings, you can work out the average. 
5. Keep a record of your measurements. Record all your readings in the memory of your monitor, on your computer or phone or on paper – whichever you prefer. Write them down exactly as they appear on screen. 

Tips for measuring your blood pressure at home

• Measure your blood pressure in both arms when you first start. They will give slightly different readings. From then on, use the arm that gave you the higher reading each time.
• Always use the same arm. If possible, use the arm that your doctor or nurse uses when they measure your blood pressure.
• Take readings at the same time each day. For example, first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Your blood pressure can vary throughout the day and with different activities, so this will mean you’re comparing like with like. It’s good to have a routine – like measuring your blood pressure before breakfast.
• Don’t round your measurements up or down. Record your readings as they’re displayed because it could affect the treatment you’re prescribed.
• Don’t worry if you get an unexpected high reading. A one-off high reading is usually nothing to worry about, rest for five minutes and take the reading again. If it’s still high, measure your blood pressure again another day. If it remains high for long, around two or three weeks, see your doctor or nurse.
• Don’t worry about small changes. It’s normal for there to be small changes in your blood pressure.
• Don’t check your blood pressure too often. Some people find that they become worried or stressed about small changes in their readings if they take them too often. Worrying can also raise your blood pressure in the short term, making your reading higher than it should be.
• Don’t stop taking your medications if your blood pressure falls. Always talk to your doctor before stopping your medications, even if your blood pressure has fallen to a healthy level according to your home monitor.
• Speak to your doctor or nurse if you’re worried. If you have doubts or concerns about your readings or home monitoring, speak to your doctor or nurse, or call out healthcare team on 020 7882 6218. If you think you may be having a stroke or heart attack call 999 immediately. 

How often should you measure your blood pressure?

When and how often you take your readings will depend on your blood pressure. Speak to your doctor or nurse about what’s suitable for you. 

It can be useful to monitor your blood pressure closely to begin with, then less often but at regular intervals.

When you first start using your home monitor

When you first start using a home monitor, measure your blood pressure in the morning and evening, every day for a week.

Take three readings in the morning, one to two minutes apart, and the same again in the evening, and record all the readings. Take an average of the readings, but discard the first one if it’s much higher than the others. To take an average simply add the two readings together and divide by two. Divide by three if you use all three readings.

Ignore the first day’s readings altogether, because they might not be accurate as you’re not familiar with your monitor yet.

At the end of the week you will have a useful picture of what your blood pressure is normally like.

Your doctor might ask you to keep a record like this when they first think you might have high blood pressure and would like to know more before making a diagnosis.

After the first week

Once you have a record of your blood pressure over a week, you can take readings less often – once every one to two weeks perhaps. Your doctor or nurse can talk to you about this, there’s no need to measure it too often.

If your blood pressure has been stable for a long time, you might only need to measure it once every four to six months. Your doctor or nurse will be able to advise you.

There might be times when you want to measure your blood pressure more often. For example, if you are given a new medicine or a higher dose of medicine, to see if the change is having an effect. It’s also helpful to record your numbers for four to seven days before a clinic visit so you can show your doctor.

Keeping a record

Keeping a record will help you and your doctor to see how your blood pressure is responding to treatments and lifestyle changes, and if you need a change in your treatment. Take your record along with you to your appointments.

You can record your readings in the memory of your monitor, on your computer or phone or on paper – whichever you prefer. If you share your monitor with someone else keep a record elsewhere so that your readings don’t get confused. 

It’s helpful to keep a diary of your blood pressure readings. Write down all your readings, even the ones you don’t include in the average. Ideally write down the time and date, and the time you took your blood pressure medications. It’s also helpful to note anything that might have affected your blood pressure, for example changes in treatment, episodes of illness, symptoms you have at the time such as headaches or feeling dizzy.

You can also download our handy E-record card [PDF 38KB] below for you to record your blood pressure numbers on. Use our blood pressure chart to see what your numbers mean, and follow our guidelines for home blood pressure testing to see what action you should take.

Working with your doctor or nurse

You won’t usually make a decision about treatment based solely on the readings you have taken at home. But they may find it useful to know what you’re blood pressure is like when you’re away from the clinic.

Talk to your doctor or nurse before you start to measure your blood pressure at home. They advise you on when to measure your blood pressure and how often, and this can help you both to be clear about what you are doing and why.

Bring your records with you to your appointments so they can use it to review your treatment.

Make sure your monitor is suitable and you know how to use it

It is a good idea to bring your monitor to the appointment so that your doctor or nurse can check that it is validated and accurate, that it fits properly, and that you know how to use it. They can show you if you’re not sure.

Read more

Learn more about your blood pressure, what blood pressure readings mean, and how to lower your blood pressure. 

For further information on home monitoring, download our booklet, Measuring your BP at home [PDF 194KB].  

Checking Your Blood Pressure at Home

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• Tips for Checking Your Blood Pressure
• Before Checking Your Blood Pressure
• Step-by-Step Blood Pressure Check

You don’t always have to go to your doctor’s office to have your blood pressure checked; you can monitor your own blood pressure at home. This is especially important if your doctor recommends that you monitor your blood pressure on a regular basis.

Certain things can cause blood pressure to temporarily rise. For example, blood pressure normally rises as a result of:

• Stress
• Smoking
• Cold temperatures
• Exercise
• Caffeine
• Certain medicines

Try to avoid as many of these factors as you can when taking your blood pressure. Also, try to measure your blood pressure at about the same time each day. Your doctor may want you to check your blood pressure several times during the day to see if it fluctuates.

• Find a quiet place to check your blood pressure. You will need to listen for your heartbeat.
• Make sure that you are comfortable and relaxed with a recently emptied bladder (a full bladder may affect your reading).
• Roll up the sleeve on your arm or remove any tight-sleeved clothing.
• Rest in a chair next to a table for 5 to 10 minutes. Your arm should rest comfortably at heart level. Sit up straight with your back against the chair, legs uncrossed. Rest your forearm on the table with the palm of your hand facing up.

If you have a manual or digital blood pressure monitor, follow the instruction booklet carefully.

The following steps provide an overview of how to take your left arm blood pressure on either a manual or digital blood pressure monitor. Simply reverse the sides to take a blood pressure in your right arm.

1. Locate your pulse.

Locate your pulse by lightly pressing your index and middle fingers slightly to the inside center of the bend of your elbow (where the brachial artery is). If you cannot locate your pulse, place the head of the stethoscope (on a manual monitor) or the arm cuff (on a digital monitor) in the same general area.

2. Secure the cuff.

Slide the cuff onto your arm, making sure that the stethoscope head is over the artery (when using a manual monitor.) The cuff may be marked with an arrow to show the location of the stethoscope head. The lower edge of the cuff should be about 1 inch above the bend of your elbow. Use the fabric fastener to make the cuff snug but not too tight.

Place the stethoscope in your ears if you are using a manual monitor. Tilt the ear pieces slightly forward to get the best sound.

3. Inflate and deflate the cuff.

If you are using a manual monitor:

• Hold the pressure gauge in your left hand and the bulb in your right.
• Close the airflow valve on the bulb by turning the screw clockwise.
• Inflate the cuff by squeezing the bulb with your right hand. You may hear your pulse in the stethoscope.
• Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points above your expected systolic pressure. At this point, you should not hear your pulse in the stethoscope.
• Keeping your eyes on the gauge, slowly release the pressure in the cuff by opening the airflow valve counterclockwise. The gauge should fall only 2 to 3 points with each heartbeat. (You may need to practice turning the valve slowly.)
• Listen carefully for the first pulse beat. As soon as you hear it, note the reading on the gauge. This reading is your systolic pressure (the force of the blood against the artery walls as your heart beats).
• Continue to slowly deflate the cuff.
• Listen carefully until the sound disappears. As soon as you can no longer hear your pulse, note the reading on the gauge. This reading is your diastolic pressure (the blood pressure between heartbeats).
• Allow the cuff to completely deflate.

You’ll get the most accurate reading if your arm is held straight.

If you released the pressure too quickly or could not hear your pulse, DO NOT inflate the cuff again right away. Wait 1 minute before repeating the measurement. Start by reapplying the cuff.

If you are using a digital monitor:

• Hold the bulb in your right hand.
• Press the power button. All display symbols should appear briefly, followed by a zero. This indicates that the monitor is ready.
• Inflate the cuff by squeezing the bulb with your right hand. If you have a monitor with automatic cuff inflation, press the start button.
• Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points above your expected systolic pressure.
• Sit quietly and watch the monitor. Pressure readings will be displayed on the screen. For some devices, values may appear on the left, then on the right.
• Wait for a long beep. This means that the measurement is complete. Note the pressures on the display screen. Systolic pressure (the force of the blood against the artery walls as your heart beats) appears on the left and diastolic pressure (the blood pressure between heartbeats) on the right. Your pulse rate may also be displayed in between or after this reading.
• Allow the cuff to deflate.

If you did not get an accurate reading, DO NOT inflate the cuff again right away. Wait 1 minute before repeating the measurement. Start by reapplying the cuff.

4. Record your blood pressure.

Follow your doctor’s instructions on when and how often you should measure your blood pressure. Record the date, time, and systolic and diastolic pressures. You should also record any special circumstances like any recent exercise, meal, or stressful event.

At least once a year, and especially after you first purchase your blood pressure monitor, bring your monitor with you to your doctor’s visit to check the machine’s accuracy. This is done by comparing a blood pressure reading from your machine with one from the doctor’s office machine.

How Often Can You Take Your Blood Pressure?

Follow your doctor’s instructions for when and how often to check your blood pressure. A good starting point is twice per day, taking two or three readings each time.

Keep in mind that certain factors can cause blood pressure to temporarily rise. Blood pressure normally rises as a result of:

• Stress
• Smoking
• Cold temperatures
• Exercise
• Caffeine

Avoid these factors when taking your blood pressure. Also, try measuring blood pressure at about the same time each day.

Top Picks

How to measure blood pressure correctly

Preparing to measure blood pressure

Measurement of blood pressure is carried out in a comfortable ambient temperature and a calm, relaxing environment. Before measuring blood pressure, you need to rest for at least 5-10 minutes. In cases where the measurement is preceded by a significant physical or emotional stress, it is recommended to increase the rest time before the start of the measurement to 15-30 minutes.

1 hour before the measurement, it is recommended to follow all the following recommendations [2]:

• do not eat;
• exclude coffee and tonic drinks, alcohol;
• do not take drugs that excite the sympathetic nervous system (sympathomimetics), including vasoconstrictor nasal and ophthalmic drops.

Avoid smoking 30 minutes before the blood pressure test [2].

Correct posture for measuring blood pressure

Blood pressure can be measured both in the supine position and sitting, which is more common. In a sitting position, a person is comfortably located on a chair, with support under the back, the feet are on the floor, while the legs are not crossed. It is necessary to know that deep breathing leads to an increase in fluctuations in blood pressure, therefore, before measuring pressure, it is necessary to normalize the frequency and depth of breathing. The hand on which the pressure will be measured should be located on a flat surface, it must be deployed with the inner surface of the forearm up. The cuff is fixed on the shoulder with a wrapping motion, and its lower edge should be located 2 cm above the elbow bend [3]. This will help to eliminate squeezing of blood vessels and overestimation of blood pressure.

On which arm should blood pressure be measured?

When starting to measure pressure, it is necessary to monitor the correct position of the arm: the cuff on the shoulder should be located at the level of the right atrium, and the arm with the cuff should be located at the level of the heart. The person’s hand should be comfortably placed on the table, gently resting on the elbow until the end of the measurement [2].

The size of the cuff must match the circumference of the arm: the rubber inflation area of ​​the cuff must cover at least 80% of the circumference of the upper arm.

The following cuff sizes are recommended:

• for a shoulder area with a circumference of 25–34 cm, a cuff 13 × 30 cm is suitable;
• on the shoulder with a circumference of 35–44 cm, a cuff 16 × 38 cm is required;
• for a circumference of 45–53 cm, you can choose to choose a cuff 20×42 cm.

Thus, for a significant proportion of overweight patients, standard-sized cuffs may not be suitable for obtaining reliable pressure measurements [2]. Blood pressure is recommended to be measured on both hands. If the difference in indicators on the right and left limbs is more than 15 mm Hg. Art. it is necessary to measure the pressure on the arm with higher BP numbers [4].

BP measurement algorithm depending on the type of tonometer

The middle of the inflated cuff balloon should be located strictly above the brachial artery palpated from the inside of the arm. The lower edge of the cuff is placed 2 cm above the antecubital fossa. One finger must pass freely between the cuff and the skin [2].

Automatic blood pressure monitor

Automatic blood pressure monitors measure blood pressure in a fully automatic mode. Before measuring blood pressure with an electronic device, it is only necessary to correctly position the cuff on the arm and press the start button [5].

Semi-automatic blood pressure monitor

To prepare for the procedure, it is necessary to correctly position the arm and place the cuff. Then turn on the device by pressing the start button. When the zero mark appears on the scoreboard, with your free hand you need to start pumping air, squeezing the pear. The numbers on the screen will begin to change, the tonometer will notify you with a sound at the moment when air injection should be completed. If the device does not have such a function, air should be pumped up to the level of blood pressure, higher than the expected value of blood pressure by 20 mm Hg. Art. [2].

After that, the device itself will begin to bleed air, simultaneously measuring the pressure. During this time, the device will emit short rhythmic beeps. A long beep will indicate when the measurement is completed. The display will show the upper and lower blood pressure readings. Some models of blood pressure monitors also measure the pulse. This completes the measurement, you can deflate by pressing the valve, then remove the cuff. If necessary, you can measure the pressure again.

Carpal tonometer

Some electronic models come with wrist cuffs to measure blood pressure. This method of measuring blood pressure is less accurate, but for some categories of patients it may be indispensable.

How to measure blood pressure with an electronic wrist cuff [5]:

1. 1
   From the hand where the pressure will be measured, it is necessary to remove all jewelry that pinches the vessels (rings, bracelets, watches).
2. 2
   Display up, to the back side, put on the cuff on the wrist. In this position, firmly, but without squeezing the hand, fix the device. Leave a distance of one centimeter between the lower edge of the cuff and the base of the palm.
3. 3
   Before starting the measurement, it is recommended to bend the arm intended for measurement at the elbow and place it on the shoulder of the free arm, palm to the body. The tonometer should thus be at the level of the heart.
4. 4
   After that, you can turn on the device. In the process of measuring pressure with your free hand, you need to support the arm on which the pressure is measured by the elbow, so that the involved limb is as relaxed as possible. Maintain this position until the measurement is completed. It is not recommended to speak and move at this time.

The accuracy of the tonometer readings depends on compliance with the technique for measuring blood pressure, as well as the serviceability of the measuring device [5]. Automatic devices for measuring blood pressure on the wrist are highly sensitive, so the readings of measurements on the same arm with an interval of several minutes may differ by 3-8 mmHg. Art. [6].

Frequency, frequency and number of blood pressure measurements

For a correct assessment of blood pressure, it is recommended to take at least 2 measurements with a break of at least 1 minute on each arm. If the difference in blood pressure is more than 5 mm. rt. Art., produce an additional, 3rd dimension. For the final result of blood pressure measurement, the average value of indicators of 2-3 measurements is taken. Elderly people, patients with diabetes mellitus and those whose condition may be accompanied by a drop in pressure in a standing position, it is advisable to stand for 1-3 minutes before measuring [2].

Can the tonometer be wrong?

Blood pressure readings obtained using electronic and semi-automatic devices may differ slightly (by 5-15%) from those obtained using a mechanical tonometer with listening to heart sounds using a phonendoscope (Korotkov method). Such distortions are explained by the discrepancy between the characteristics of the blood vessels and the heart of a particular patient and the algorithm for evaluating the results that the manufacturer provided for in the electronic device [7].

Modern automatic blood pressure monitors have different algorithms of operation, since it is not possible to develop a single universal data processing procedure suitable for everyone without exception. Manufacturers install on their electronic devices those algorithms that have been clinically tested on large samples of patients and have shown good results. The error in blood pressure measurements with a tonometer of a particular model in tests is clarified by comparing its readings with blood pressure indicators obtained by the standard Korotkov method [2,7]. After successfully passing tests on a large group of people, the device is issued a certificate of conformity. Therefore, a certified automatic blood pressure monitor is usually suitable for most users, although there are exceptions.

According to the current order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation of January 24, 2003 No. 4, the Korotkov method (listening to Korotkov tones) is considered a reliable method for measuring blood pressure. For this, a mechanical tonometer with a phonendoscope is used. In order to choose the right automatic tonometer, you should measure the pressure mechanically and, knowing these figures, look for a device with the maximum match of indicators in a series of measurements. For each person, the selection of the model is carried out individually.

how to measure blood pressure on your own

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• Doctor’s advice: how to measure blood pressure yourself

Device to measure pressure, according to cardiologists, it should be the same common item in a home first-aid kit, like a thermometer. This is especially true for families where there are patients with cardiovascular diseases.

” If there are or have been patients with cardiovascular diseases in the family, you are over forty years old, there are other risk factors or symptoms of incipient hypertension have appeared – blood pressure should be measured daily, and in case of its increase, consult a doctor ”, – says Alla Rudenko , cardiologist, head of the cardiological day hospital of the District Cardiological Dispensary in the city of Surgut.

Persistent increase in vascular pressure when systolic pressure is above 140 mmHg, a diastolic above 90 mmHg , can lead to the development of arterial hypertension, which in turn contributes to the development of such dangerous diseases as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction and stroke.

High blood pressure does not require complex diagnosis and can be detected during a routine routine examination, and with timely treatment in most patients it can be corrected.

At home, it is more convenient to use modern electronic blood pressure monitors. There is an erroneous opinion that electronic tonometers overestimate the results, this is due to the extreme sensitivity of the device. In order for your device to reliably determine the level of blood pressure, the following rules must be observed:

• Read the instructions very carefully before measuring pressure,
• an hour before the measurement, exclude food intake, one and a half to two hours – smoking, taking tonic drinks, alcohol, nasal and eye drops,
• during the measurement you should not be distracted by any extraneous noises and sounds (turn off the TV, radio), you should not talk,
• optimal posture: sitting on a chair, leaning on the back, with relaxed and uncrossed legs,
• on the left and right hands, blood pressure may vary, sometimes from 10 to 20 mm Hg. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the pressure on both hands once, to establish on which hand it is higher; and in the future to measure blood pressure on this particular arm,
• the arm on which blood pressure is measured must be free from clothing,
• The cuff should be sized to fit the arm and should not be too loose or tight,
• The middle of the cuff balloon must be over the brachial artery. The lower edge of the cuff should be two to three cm above the antecubital fossa. A finger must pass between the cuff and the surface of the upper arm,
• The middle of the cuff should be at chest level.

Failure to comply with the above factors, as well as the deviation of the position of the hand below the level of the heart, the lack of support for the hand, the back without support, legs crossed, talking, measuring blood pressure in a cold room, bowel or bladder fullness, intestinal spasms – can lead to an overestimation of blood pressure readings .