Take care of your heart

Monitoring blood pressure at home

Each of us only has one heart, and we most often associate it with love. The heart pumps blood through veins acting as a power engine that gives us energy we need every day for creativity and work. Taking good care of the heart is vital if we want it to keep beating for a long time. One way to do this is by monitoring blood pressure at home.

Five reasons for monitoring blood pressure at home

1. You can get your elevated blood pressure (hypertension) diagnosed early.
2. You can help your doctor to manage your treatment properly.
3. You can compare values taken at home to those taken at your doctor’s office.
4. You can improve control over increased blood pressure.
5. You can spend less time at your doctor’s office.

How to correctly measure blood pressure at home

Use a good blood pressure monitoring device. Various shops have them on offer. 

1. It is recommended to measure blood pressure twice a day: in the morning, at least 30 minutes after waking up (if on antihypertensives, measuring should be carried out before therapy), and in the evening. Avoid eating, drinking coffee or alcohol, and smoking thirty minutes before measurements.
2. Relax for 3 to 5 minutes before you measure your blood pressure. Then, sit up straight with your back against the chair and keep relaxed.
3. Rest your arm on a table or chair and keep it relaxed.
4. Place the handcuff directly on bare skin, not over clothing. Leave just enough space to slide one finger underneath.
5. After you take your first measurement, wait one minute, then take the second measurement. If the two results significantly differ, measure your blood pressure once again.
6. Record the average measured values in your blood pressure diary and show it to your doctor at your next visit.
7. Always measure your blood pressure at the same time on the same arm.

Consult your doctor on steps to be taken if average home blood pressure scores are > 135/85 mm Hg.

Together into the future

Measuring blood pressure at home is not difficult, but it cannot replace regular check-ups by your doctor. Regular measuring at home will give you a good idea of your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is below the target limits, you take good care of your health. In the long run, detecting and treating elevated blood pressure in time importantly decreases the risk of cardiovascular complications, such as myocardial infraction and stroke.

Hypertension is one of the main causes for the development and progress of cardiovascular diseases.

References

1. Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W et al. 2018 Practice Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Hypertension. Blood Press 2018; 27(6): 314−340.
2. Stergiou GS, Palatini P, Parati G et al. European Society of Hypertension Council and the European Society of Hypertension Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring and Cardiovascular Variability. 2021 European Society of Hypertension practice guidelines for office and out-of-office blood pressure measurement. J Hypertens 2021; 39(7): 1293-1302.