Do you have a digital blood pressure monitor at home but you don’t know how to use it? Are you finding that the blood pressure monitor’s readings are fluctuating quite a lot from day to day？We notice a lot of people have purchased a digital blood monitor before but seems to not using it at all. Upon further questioning, a lot of them are confused about the correct way of using blood pressure monitor. Thus, today, we are going to teach you the correct technique of using blood pressure monitor! Stay tuned!
Step 1 Relax
Remember, the first thing you should do in taking blood pressure is to find somewhere quite and away from noise (may it be children’s sound or TV sound). Of course, you should stay away from your smart phone as well. A quite environment can let you ease your mind and stabilize your blood pressure. If you are agitated or frustrated, you will not able to take an accurate reading. Next, sit down comfortably and relax for 5 minutes, you can also take few deep breaths before you start taking your blood pressure.
Step 2 Sit Upright
A correct sitting posture is one of the key to get an accurate blood pressure reading. Here are the tips. Firstly, sit in upright position, lean your back against the chair, and thus, you do no need to strain to keep yourself upright. Secondly, put your forearm on table, make sure your forearm is at the same level with you heart. Put you feet flat on the floor, and do not cross your feet. Thirdly, remove excess clothing that may interfere with blood pressure monitor cuff or constrict blood flow in the arm. Any constriction on the blood flow will cause a higher blood pressure reading.
Step 3 Putting Cuff
You should wrap the blood pressure monitor cuff neither too tightly (it will cause higher blood pressure reading) nor too loose (cannot detect blood pressure accurately). Wrap the cuff around your forearm (either left hand or right hand). Make sure there is enough room for you to slip in one finger under the cuff, which should be the perfect tightness. Check the placement of the cuff. The bottom edge of the cuff should be 1 inch (approximately width of 2 finger) above the crease of your elbow and does not interfere the joint region.
Now, you are ready to take your blood pressure. Press the starting button on the digital blood pressure monitor, and the cuff will inflate and deflate automatically. Record the blood pressure reading and repeat another measurement after 1-2 minutes. Work out the average of 2 readings and record your result for the reference of physician.
Blood pressure tends to fluctuate throughout the day and will be affected by a lot of factors. Thus, in order to get the accurate reading, you are advised not to drink alcohol , caffeinated drink or smoking 30 minutes before taking blood pressure. Besides, you should not talk while taking blood pressure. It is preferably to take you blood pressure twice a day, once in the morning (after you empty your bladder, before taking your high blood pressure medicine) and once in night time (before you go to bed). Remember, whenever you detect any abnormalities of your blood pressure reading (may it be too high or low), please consult your physician immediately.