If your doctor has told you that you need to start taking your blood pressure at home or if you have decided yourself that it is something you would like to keep an eye on then there is basically two different blood pressure monitors you can use 1) Aneroid monitors 2) Digital Monitors. Here we will explain how to take your own blood pressure using either kind of monitor and what to do to prepare beforehand.
Before Taking A Reading
1) At least 30 minutes before taking a reading avoid using any kinds of foods or drinks that alter your blood pressure such as stimulants like tea and coffee and energy drinks like red bull. Alcohol and cigarettes should also be avoided.
2) Empty your bladder before taking a reading.
3) Rest for 5 minutes before measuring your blood pressure and avoid talking also.
4) Sit comfortably with your back supported and with your ankles uncrossed.
5) You will need to rest your left arm on a desk or table that keeps your arm level with your heart.
6) Attach the cuff of the blood pressure monitor you are using to your bare upper left arm at approximately 1″ inch above the crease of your elbow. The cuff should be snug but leaving enough room for you to fit one finger underneath.
Aneroid Blood Pressure Monitor Instructions
1) Put the ear pieces of the stethoscope in your ears.
2) The disc of the stethoscope should be place on your upper arm on the inside just above the elbow crease.
3) The cuff will need to be inflated quickly with no delay. A delay can cause a false reading. Keep inflating the cuff until the reading exceeds your previous reading by 30 – 40 points.
4) At this point let out some air at a rate of about 2 -3 mm per sec. Don’t deflate the cuff any faster than this as it will create an inaccurate reading.
5) As the cuff deflates, listen carefully for the first sound of your heart beat. When you hear it, write down the reading on the dial, this is your systolic pressure.
6) Continue to deflate the cuff at 2 -3 mm per sec until you hear your heart beat completely stop. Right down the reading at this point, this is your diastolic pressure.
Digital Blood Pressure Monitor Instructions
1) Place the cuff around your bare upper arm, just above the elbow crease.
2) Press the start button.
3) Fully automatic digital monitors will inflate by themselves and semiautomatic digital monitors will need to be inflated manually with a rubber bulb.
4) All digital monitors will begin to deflate automatically to give your complete blood pressure reading. Some digital monitors will store the reading, for others you will need to write down the reading.
5) You can now press the exhaust button to release all of the air so you can remove the cuff.
To learn about the pros and cons of aneroid and digital monitors to see which will work best for you visit blood pressure machine guide.