‘You can easily monitor blood pressure at home’

‘You can easily monitor blood pressure at home’

Dr Roopesh Singhal, MBBS, MD, DM, Cardiology, shares about things a patient should keep in mind while monitoring blood pressure at home, including position and time of measurement:

If you want to monitor your blood pressure regularly, you can easily do so at home using an automated or digital blood pressure machine. To accurately measure your blood pressure at home:

Place the cuff on your upper arm Relax your arm and place it on the arm of the chair or a table Press the button on the blood pressure machine to inflate the cuff and sit calmly without talking Jot down the result

TIPS FOR MEASURING YOUR RESTING BLOOD PRESSURE AT HOME:

Check the device’s accuracy. Before using a monitor for the first time, have your doctor check its accuracy against the office model

Don’t measure your blood pressure right after waking up

Avoid food, caffeine, tobacco and alcohol for 30 minutes before taking a measurement

Go to the bathroom beforehand, since a full bladder can elevate your blood pressure slightly

Before using the device, sit quietly for about 5 minutes in a comfortable position with your legs and ankles uncrossed and your back well-supported

Stay calm, avoid thinking about stressful things, and don’t talk to anyone while your blood pressure is being measured

Place the cuff on bare skin, not over clothing. Rolling up a sleeve until it tightens around the arm can result in an inaccurate reading

Wait for one to three minutes after the first reading, and then take another to check its accuracy

Contact no: 9099016535 Email : roopeshsinghal@gmail.com Address : The Heart Clinic, Akshat Multispeciality Hospital, 7th Floor, Medico house, Near Visat circle , Motera Ahmedabad- 380005 * Views expressed in the column are the sole responsibility of the expert

Dr Roopesh Singhal