Get to the Heart of the Study Results Dozens of at home blood pressure machines were tested in the study. According to the results, the participants' home blood pressure monitor readings were off by around 5 mmHg a shocking 70% of the time. And respondents' readings were off by 10 mmHg one-third of the time.
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.
Blood Pressure Cuff Placement
If the cuff is too small, it can add 2 to 10 points to your bp measurement. Be sure to roll up your sleeve for a blood pressure test and also let your doctor know if the cuff feels too tight around your arm.
Inaccurate blood pressure measurement could lead to incorrect diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. The chance to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke could also be missed. Over 3000 blood pressure monitors are available but less than 15% of these have been properly tested for accuracy.
Expect variations between monitors.
Not all BP monitors are calibrated exactly alike, which can lead to differences in readings. Some monitors may also be unreliable. The Omada BP monitor is FDA-cleared and has been shown to be accurate within +/- 10mmHG in clinical testing.
You could have white coat hypertension. This condition occurs when blood pressure readings at a health care provider's office are higher than they are in other settings, such as at home. It's called white coat hypertension because people who measure blood pressure sometimes wear white coats.
Solely relying on your first blood pressure reading may lead to an inaccurate diagnosis because it's usually higher than the second reading. Your doctor or nurse should take more than one reading and compare the results for better accuracy.
Measure your blood pressure twice daily. The first measurement should be in the morning before eating or taking any medications, and the second in the evening. Each time you measure, take two or three readings to make sure your results are accurate.
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.
Blood pressure has a daily pattern. 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.
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.
Blood pressure measurements that are higher at your home than at your doctor's office could be caused by an error in measuring your blood pressure at home or a decrease in your stress level at your doctor's office.
The resulting anxiety can elevate blood pressure 10 points or more.” Studies have shown that clinics rarely take two or more blood pressure readings, even though the ACC/AHA guidelines suggest that doing so could reduce the effects of WCH.
Automated office blood pressure readings are more accurate than typical office readings among patients with hypertension, according to a JAMA Internal Medicine meta-analysis.
The device should measure blood pressure on the upper arm, which produce a more reliable result than those that measure from the wrist.
Strong scientific evidence shows that self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring, also known as home blood pressure monitoring, plus clinical support helps people with hypertension lower their blood pressure.
Anxiety, stress, drugs, alcohol, physical exercise, and a range of medical conditions such as sleep apnea and kidney disease can cause your blood pressure to fluctuate from high to low. It's normal to see some variance throughout the day but you should consult a doctor if you exhibit symptoms of labile hypertension.
Blood pressure changes naturally many times a day. Most changes are normal and predictable. When these spikes and valleys in your blood pressure occur, you may not experience unusual signs or symptoms. These fluctuations may be brief and fleeting.
Blood pressure is the pressure of blood on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood around your body. Blood pressure does not stay the same all the time. It changes to meet your body's needs and it is normal for your blood pressure to go up and down throughout the day.
Blood pressure changes throughout the day. Your blood pressure is typically at its lowest right after waking up. It tends to vary by up to 30% across the day. This is because of hormone changes, activity level, and eating.
It is recommended to wait at least 1 minute between blood pressure (BP) readings.
It's ideal to measure your blood pressure twice a day for two weeks leading up to a doctor's appointment, or following a change in medication. At each sitting, measure your blood pressure three times, but discard the first reading as it tends to be inaccurate. Write down the average of the second and third reading.
At the beginning, measure your blood pressure at least twice daily. Take it first in the morning before eating or taking any medications. Take it again in the evening. Each time you measure, take two or three readings to make sure your results are the same.
Q. When I am monitoring my blood pressure, which number is most important — top, bottom, or both? A. While both numbers in a blood pressure reading are essential for diagnosing and treating high blood pressure, doctors primarily focus on the top number, also known as systolic pressure.
It's also a good idea to take your blood pressure again after about 3 minutes. Taking your blood pressure twice each time can help you check that your measurement was correct. If there is a large difference between the two readings, take a third reading.