TAKING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AT HOME
We highly recommend that you purchase a home Blood Pressure Monitor to actively monitor your blood pressure at home. These are available from many pharmacies.
Aim to take 2 sets of readings for each day for 4 – 7 days, one In the morning and one in the evening.
Sit quietly when you are feeling relaxed and have taken no exercise in the last 30 minutes.
Use a chair that is comfortable and upright. Have your arm supported on a table or the arm of the chair beside you and have both feet on the ground, legs and feet uncrossed.
Put the cuff on your upper arm (5cm above your elbow) resting on the table, the cuff should be roughly at the level of your heart.
Press the on/start button on the BP monitor and sit still and quietly while your blood pressure is being read as this can affect the reading.
Take two or three readings at least 1 minute apart. Record the lowest of the readings and your pulse rate.
Repeat for a total of 4 – 7 days using alternate arms.
Calculate your average blood pressure by adding up all the top systolic blood pressures & divide by the number of blood pressures done, then repeat with the bottom diastolic blood pressures.
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