Home blood-pressure measurement
A cuff or posture problem can change a blood-pressure reading. There is no reliable way to subtract those errors from your number. Use this checklist to prepare a new measurement and take your record to your clinician.
Call 112 for chest pain, severe breathlessness, sudden weakness, difficulty speaking, confusion or loss of vision. Do not wait to finish this checklist. A very high reading that persists needs prompt medical advice; do not assume it is just a technique error. Pregnancy needs a separate care plan and lower action thresholds.
This is a preparation checklist. It does not measure, correct or classify blood pressure.
NICE’s adult home-monitoring protocol uses two seated measurements, at least one minute apart, morning and evening for at least four days, ideally seven. Keep all readings in your record, but leave the entire first day out of the average used to confirm a diagnosis. Follow a different schedule if your clinician has prescribed one.
One reading cannot diagnose high blood pressure or set a treatment target. Do not change medicines because of this checklist. Bring your monitor and record to a review if you are unsure about technique or if home and clinic readings disagree.
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