Blood pressure measurement – checking your blood pressure with a digital monitorBlood pressure measurement at home - You can check your blood pressure at home by yourself using a digital blood pressure monitor. If you have high blood pressure, it is important you check it as directed or as needed whenever you feel your blood pressure is high. Make sure you keep a log so you can take it to your Doctor. If the Doctor wants you to check your blood pressure at home, take it at the same time every day. Before you check your blood pressure it is important you rest about half hour after exercising, smoking, or eating. Also make sure that the blood pressure cuff fits just right. If it is too big or too small, the readings will be inaccurate. When you are ready, find a comfortable place where you can sit. This can be at a table or a desk where you can lay your arm. Place your arm on the table at heart level with the palm up and wrap the blood pressure cuff around your upper arm.
Once you have wrapped the cuff around your arm, it should look like the picture on the left. Turn the machine on and press the button that starts the pump. The pump will get tight and then will start loosening up slowly. The numbers on the machine will keep changing and when the machine stops, you have your blood pressure reading. The higher number is the systolic pressure and the bottom number is the diastolic pressure. The normal blood pressure range is 120/80; it reads one hundred and twenty over eighty or one twenty over eighty. Write down your results on the blood pressure log together with the date and time and which arm are you took it. It is necessary to have the right blood pressure equipment in order for you to check your blood pressure. So, make sure you have the right supplies. Return from blood pressure measurement to high blood pressure
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