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It's common for blood pressure readings taken at home on any type of monitor to be different from those taken at a medical office. If you have a wrist blood pressure monitor, take the device to your healthcare professional's office. Your care team can compare the blood pressure in your arm and wrist to make sure your device is working well.
If so, measuring blood pressure at the wrist or lower arm may be OK if used as directed and checked against measurements taken in your healthcare professional's office. For the most reliable blood pressure measurement, the American Heart Association recommends using a monitor with a cuff that goes around your upper arm, when available.
Remain still and quiet as the machine begins measuring. The cuff will inflate, then slowly deflate so that the machine can take your measurement. When the reading is complete, the monitor displays your blood pressure and pulse on the digital panel. If the monitor doesn't record a reading, reposition the cuff and try again.
Using a blood pressure cuff that's too large or too small can give you blood pressure readings that are not accurate. Your health care provider's office should have several sizes of cuffs to ensure an accurate blood pressure reading. When you measure your blood pressure at home, it's important to use the proper size cuff.
Some machines measure blood pressure using a wrist cuff. A wrist blood pressure device may be as accurate as an upper arm monitor. But it needs to be fitted properly and checked with readings taken in a healthcare professional's office. A wrist blood pressure monitor must be placed directly over the wrist artery to get an accurate reading.
Let the pressure fall 2 millimeters, or lines on the dial, per second while listening for your heart sounds. Note the reading when you first hear a heartbeat. This is your systolic pressure. Note when you no longer hear the beating sounds. This is your diastolic pressure. Rest quietly and wait about one to two minutes before taking another ...
If your blood pressure is higher at a medical office than at your home, the condition is called white-coat hypertension. Be sure that your home blood pressure monitor is accurate. Also check that you're using it correctly. If you're not sure, ask your healthcare team. You may be asked to bring your blood pressure monitor to your next appointment.
Increased blood pressure may be categorized as elevated, stage 1 or stage 2 depending on the specific numbers. A diagnosis of high blood pressure is usually based on the average of two or more readings taken on separate visits. The first time your blood pressure is checked, it should be measured in both arms to see if there is a difference.
When I measure my blood pressure at home, the reading is always higher in one arm. Should I worry? Answer From Rekha Mankad, M.D. Most often, a small difference in blood pressure readings between arms isn't a concern. But a difference of more than 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) might cause worry ...
Pulse pressure is determined from the two numbers of a blood pressure reading. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The top number is called systolic pressure. This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. The bottom number is called diastolic pressure. This is pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.