For a variety of reasons, your doctor or health team may recommend that y'all regularly check your claret pressure level. One in 5 Canadian adults live with high blood pressure — also referred to as hypertension — so information technology's handy to know how to properly check it.

When checking your claret pressure level, always mensurate your resting heart rate, which is the number of times your heart beats per infinitesimal while at consummate residual. Follow these tips to ensure you get the most accurate reading possible, and so you can receive the most appropriate care:

  1. Choose the right device

    Buy a blood pressure monitor. These are small, usually digital automatic devices attached to a blood pressure cuff. They can be purchased at well-nigh pharmacies and used at domicile. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to cheque the monitor to brand certain it fits your arm well. Here's a list of abode blood pressure monitors recommended by Hypertension Canada. If money is tight, many pharmacies have a public station for checking blood force per unit area. You can also get it checked at the nearest burn hall station!

  2. Starting time with a make clean slate

    Don't fume or beverage caffeine products 30 minutes beforehand. Smoking or drinking caffeine tin can elevate your claret pressure for a short menses of time, which tin can bear upon the accuracy of your reading.

  3. Rest for v minutes

    Before you cheque, balance for 5 minutes. If you cheque your blood force per unit area immediately later on exercising or any activity, you won't be measuring a resting rate and your reading will be inaccurate.

  4. Position matters

    Sit with your feet flat on the floor, back supported, and with your arm supported at heart level (residual it on a table or chair arm). Even small changes in your body position — similar crossing your legs or arms, or raising your arms in the air — can affect the accuracy of your blood pressure reading. Keep your body relaxed and neutral.

  5. Bare down

    Make certain your arm is bare when using the claret pressure level gage. Never wrap the cuff around the clothing you lot're wearing; trying to measure through even the most sheer fabric can throw off your readings. Rolling up your sleeve tin also constrict your arm and elevate your blood pressure. Bare skin is all-time.

  6. Shhhhhhh

    No talking while the monitor is measuring your blood pressure. Like exercising or doing an activity, talking can increment your blood pressure and give a falsely elevated reading. Sometimes even stressful thoughts can elevate your reading!

  7. Cheque it twice

    It'south platonic to measure your claret force per unit area twice a 24-hour interval for two weeks leading up to a doctor's appointment, or following a alter in medication. At each sitting, measure your blood pressure three times, simply discard the first reading as it tends to be inaccurate. Write down the average of the second and third reading. Bringing your latest readings to an appointment helps give your doctor a expert idea of what your claret pressure is outside of the office. Frequently due to nervousness, some people experience an elevated claret pressure at the medico'southward office simply not at abode. For this reason, your home readings will exist the most accurate.

  8. Write it down

    Proceed a log of your readings. This is a keen way for both you and your physician to see trends in your blood pressure level. Having multiple readings to analyze is helpful when contemplating changes in treatment, whether it exist lifestyle changes or medication adjustments. Many home blood pressure monitoring devices store readings for you, and in that location are also apps for your smart phone that can continue track and can even impress off readings.

Yet have questions?

Check out our resource library and learn more about loftier claret pressure. Our resources include videos and printable handouts on understanding, measuring and managing your blood pressure level.

Ask your team

Did you know that your health team includes a chemist and a health direction nurse? They work in partnership with your family doctor and can help you lot learn more than about high blood force per unit area and other wellness concerns. Larn more.

This article was adult with the advice of Calgary Foothills PCN's health team.