Measuring Blood Pressure at Home: Know Your Numbers
Heartmail Spring 2018
APRIL 12, 2018
A Guide to Monitoring Blood Pressure at Home
Keeping tabs on blood pressure at home can help guide your treatment and help you to stay motivated to keep blood pressure down.
A study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found that people who monitored their blood pressure at home were more likely to reach their goals than those monitored only by their clinician.
Learn more about High Blood Pressure.
How To Measure Your Blood Pressure
The American Heart Association recommends six key steps to monitoring your blood pressure.
- Don't smoke, exercise or drink caffeinated beverages or alcohol within 30 minutes of measurement.
- Rest in a chair for at least five minutes with your left arm resting comfortably on a flat surface at heart level. Sit calmly and don't talk.
- Make sure you're relaxed. Sit still in a chair with your feet flat on the floor with your back straight and supported.
- Use a properly calibrated and validated heart monitor that measures blood pressure on the upper arm. Check on the cuff size and fit.
- Place the bottom of the cuff above the bend of your elbow.
- Take at least two readings one minute apart — in the morning before taking medications and in the evening before dinner. Record all results immediately and share them with your doctor.
Stages of Blood Pressure
| Blood Pressure Category | Systolic mm HG (top number) | Diastolic mm HG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Less than 120 | and | Less than 80 |
| Elevated | 120 – 129 | and | Less than 80 |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension Stage 1 | 130 – 139 | or | 80 – 89 |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2 | 140 or higher | or | 90 or higher |
| Hypertensive Crisis (consult doctor immediately) | Higher than 180 | and/or | Higher than 120 |
Source: American Heart Association