Can you provide any tips on choosing and using a home blood pressure monitor?

It is recommended that all individuals with high blood pressure (130/80 or higher) use a home blood pressure monitor. Monitoring your blood pressure at home can help you track your blood pressure in a comfortable setting. If you are taking medication for high blood pressure, it will also ensure that the medication is working and may alert you to a health problem. Here are some important factors to consider when looking for blood pressure monitors.

Best Monitors

The most accurate and user-friendly home blood pressure monitors are automatic upper arm monitors, powered by electricity or batteries. These monitors tend to be more reliable than wrist or fingertip monitors. With an automatic arm monitor, you simply wrap the cuff around your bicep and push a button on the device which will cause the cuff to automatically inflate and then deflate, reporting your blood pressure on the display window in a matter of seconds.

Many automatic monitors come with advanced features such as irregular heartbeat detection to identify arrhythmias and other abnormalities, risk category indicators that tells you whether your blood pressure is in the high range and a data-averaging function for more accurate readings. Additionally, some models may include multiple user memory that allows two or more users to save their readings separately and downloadable memory that transmits data to your smartphone or computer.

You can purchase blood pressure monitors without a prescription at pharmacies, medical supply stores or online. Prices may vary depending on where you purchase the blood pressure monitor.

How to Measure

After you buy your monitor, consider taking it to your doctor’s office so they can check its accuracy and make sure you are using it properly. Here are some additional steps to follow to ensure you get accurate measurements at home.

Be still: Do not exercise, smoke or drink caffeinated drinks or alcohol for at least 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. It is also best to empty your bladder and ensure at least five minutes of rest for the most accurate results.

Sit correctly: Sit with your back straight and supported (preferably on a dining chair, rather than a sofa). Your feet should be flat on the floor and your legs should not be crossed. Your arm should be supported on a flat surface (such as a table) with the upper arm at heart level. Ensure the middle of the cuff is placed directly above the bend of the elbow. Refer to your monitor’s instructions for an illustration.

Do not measure over clothing: Put the cuff directly on your skin. Placing it over clothes can raise your systolic (upper) number by up to 40 mmHg.

Measure at the same time: It is important to take your blood pressure at the same time each day, such as in the morning before taking medications or in the evening before dinner.

Take multiple readings: Each time you measure, take at least two readings one to three minutes apart and record the results.

For more information on high blood pressure and how to accurately measure it at home, visit Heart.org/HBP.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.