HOW TO USE A HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR CORRECTLY

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HOW TO USE A HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR CORRECTLY

Dr Chee Tek Siong, a member on the board of directors for the Singapore Heart Foundation, offers these tips:

1. Use an upper-arm blood pressure monitor for home monitoring. Use monitors that are validated by a professional organisation such as the British Hypertension society or American Heart Association.

2. The size of the blood pressure cuff must fit you well, and not be too small or too big.

3. Rest for at least five minutes before measurement. Do not smoke, eat or exercise half an hour before measurement.

4. Be still and do not talk while measuring your blood pressure.

5. Sit comfortably on a chair without crossing the legs. You should be able to rest both feet on the ground while sitting on the chair.

6. Do not wear clothing with tight sleeves.

7. Measure twice a day: Once in the morning within one hour of waking, before breakfast and before taking morning medications, and in the evening or before bedtime.

8. Take two readings at one to two minutes apart each time (this means taking a total of four readings per day). It is preferable to take readings for five or seven consecutive days. Exclude the readings on the first day and average out the remaining readings.

A normal blood pressure reading should be <135/85 mmHg. Some authorities advocate <125/75 mmHg for diabetics and those with kidney failure.