How Often to Check Your BP at Home: The Surprising Answer from a Cardiologist

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blood pressure is one of the highly preventable risk factors for any kind of heart trouble, which includes a heart attack, stroke, and heart failure, apart from conditions like kidney failure, cognitive decline, and even dementia. According to various studies and experts, it is important to know your hypertension numbers so that you can act accordingly. While normal blood pressure is typically 120/80 mmHg, research says more than half of all adults have higher readings. But you must be thinking, how important is it to know your numbers?

How often should you check your blood pressure?

According to the American Heart Association, all those who already have high blood pressure levels should keep a home monitor handy to consistently and regularly measure their blood pressure levels at least three times a week. Most doctors recommend that patients keep a written record of their blood pressure readings and alert the doctors in case the numbers go high, or if they have been feeling the symptoms within a week. This advice must be followed by people of all ages, especially young adults, since having hypertension in their late 20s and 30s has also become common now.

Should you check blood pressure daily?

According to experts, it is not important to check your blood pressure daily, but if you are newly diagnosed, the doctor may ask you to do it at least for the first few weeks so that your medication can be adjusted accordingly. Also, you must note not to buy a blood pressure monitor off a store shelf or buy one online without research. According to the American Medical Association, there is a list of validated blood pressure devices, with one list specifically for patients. They vary in price based on the bells and whistles, but all have been verified to be accurate. Once you have bought it, make sure to follow the new blood pressure guidelines, which recommend that patients occasionally bring their blood pressure devices with them to the doctor’s office so that a provider can make sure that the office device matches the readings on the home device. Doctors say home readings are often more accurate than office ones, since patients feel more stressed when seeing a doctor, which can also raise blood pressure rates and keep the doctor from getting an accurate reading.

Things you must pay attention to when checking blood pressure at home

When you are checking blood pressure levels at home, there are a few things you need to be mindful of:

• If your blood pressure is extremely high – more than 150/20 mmHg, make sure to contact your doctor right away. If it is also accompanied by chest pains and breathlessness, do call for an ambulance since you may be having a heart attack or a stroke.
• For at least 30 to 45 minutes before the measurement, make sure to avoid doing activities like exercise, smoking, drinking caffeine or alcohol, or eating a large meal.
• Empty your bladder, as a full bladder can slightly increase your blood pressure reading.
• Rest quietly for a minimum of five to ten minutes in a calm environment before starting the measurement.
• Remove tight clothing from the arm you will use; the cuff must be placed on bare skin.