The first is typically the highest, and the average should be used as the
Your first blood pressure reading will almost always be higher than the second due to a wide range of factors, both environmental and psychological. These factors include white coat syndrome, stress, and having a full bladder.
Wait 1 to 3 minutes after the first reading, and then take another. If your monitor doesn't keep track of blood pressure readings or heart rates, write them down.
Systolic pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading) measures the force with which the heart pumps blood into the arteries. Diastolic pressure (the second, lower number) reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.
The highest number is always the systolic pressure and it's always given first. For example, a blood pressure given as "120 over 80" or 120/80mmHg means a systolic pressure of 120mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 80mmHg. As a general guide: normal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
Ignore the first day's readings altogether, because they might not be accurate as you're not familiar with your monitor yet. At the end of the week you will have a useful picture of what your blood pressure is normally like.
Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening. Blood pressure is usually lower at night while sleeping.
A repeated difference of more than 10 mm Hg in blood pressure measurement between the arms can be a sign of a health problem such as: Blocked arteries in the arms, known as peripheral artery disease. Diabetes. Kidney disease.
Take your blood pressure at the same time every day. Take at least two readings, 1 or 2 minutes apart.
It's actually quite normal. A difference of more than 10 points, though, could suggest trouble. In younger people, side-to-side differences in blood pressure can occur when a muscle or something else compresses an artery supplying the arm, or by a structural problem that prevents smooth blood flow through an artery.
Everyone's blood pressure rises and falls many times during the course of a single day, sometimes even within minutes. Many factors contribute to these changes, including physical activity, emotion, body position, diet (especially salt and alcohol intake), and sleep deprivation.
A cuff that is too snug or too loose on the mid-upper arm can lead to greatly exaggerated blood pressure measurements, results of a community-based study show.
With the cuff on your bare arm, sit in an upright position with back supported, feet flat on the floor and your arm supported at heart level. Make sure the bottom of the cuff is directly above the bend of the elbow. Relax for about five minutes before taking a measurement.
When it comes to blood pressure, one reading may not be enough. Forty-six percent of Americans have high blood pressure, but studies show when it's taken twice at your doctor's office - with at least one minute in between - the second reading is typically lower and a more accurate measurement.
Secondary hypertension is caused by specific conditions and their complications: Kidney disease. Congenital heart defects. Congenital defects in blood vessels.
Don't check your blood pressure too often.
Some people find that they become worried or stressed about small changes in their readings if they take them too often. Worrying can also raise your blood pressure in the short term, making your reading higher than it should be.
In general, blood pressures between 160/100 mm Hg and 179/109 mm Hg should be rechecked within two weeks, while measurements between 140/90 and 159/99 should be repeated within four weeks.
But home blood pressure monitors aren't always as accurate as they should be. "Home blood pressure monitors may be inaccurate in 5% to 15% of patients, depending on the threshold for accuracy used," according to Dr. Swapnil Hiremath, a kidney specialist at Ottawa Hospital in Canada.
Conclusions. Single-arm measurements, compared to double-arm measurements, may underestimate the prevalence of hypertension. However, if double-arm measurements are unavailable, right arm is preferred for measurement of BP, especially in women.
Arm position
Dependency of the arm below heart level leads to an overestimation of systolic and diastolic pressures and raising the arm above heart level leads to underestimation. The magnitude of this error can be as great as 10 mm Hg for systolic and diastolic pressures.
In a 2019 scientific statement detailing proper blood pressure measurement, the AHA recommended taking readings from both arms during an initial patient visit and using the arm with the higher reading for measurements at subsequent visits.
Walking lowers systolic blood pressure by 4.11 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.01 to 5.22 mm Hg). It lowers diastolic blood pressure by 1.79 mm Hg (95% CI, 1.07 to 2.51 mm Hg) and resting heart rate by 2.76 beats per minute (bpm; 95% CI, 0.95 to 4.57 bpm).
Check for accuracy
“If the systolic blood pressure (the top number) on your cuff is within 10 points of the monitor, then it's generally accurate,” he says. Most home blood pressure machines last for about two or three years. After that, check it at your doctor's office annually to make sure it's still accurate.