Measuring Blood Pressure Between Doctor Visits

If you or a family member have been diagnosed with Hypertension or High Blood Pressure you would likely benefit from a routine check of your readings between visits to the doctor. When you're first diagnosed and begin taking the prescription medication, it's really important to know how the medicine is affecting your blood pressure readings.

Sometimes the prescription dosage may be too strong and result in unwanted side effects like dizziness or becoming light headed. Blood pressure readings that drop to lower than normal may require adjustments in the dose strength or a change in the type of drug prescribed.

You don't have to be a medical technician to understand if your blood pressure values are within the normal range. A quick check with an over-the-counter device will tell you in a few moments if there is any reason to be concerned.

The range is read like a fraction: for example, mine reads 125/67 at the moment. For this reading, the systolic value is 125.

The Systolic, or the upper reading, is a measure of blood pressure while the heart is beating.

Generally speaking, blood pressure is thought to be "Normal" if it reads less than 120 on the upper reading.

High Normal Range is between 121-139 readings.

Hypertension is sometimes indicated if the Systolic reading is greater than 140.

Some charts vary from these estimates and you should consult your doctor for more detail.

Diastolic readings, or the bottom number, are measured when the heart is at rest. In the example above, my reading was 125/67. In that case the diastolic number is 67 which is within the "normal" range.

The diastolic reading would generally be considered normal if less than 80.

High Normal is between 81-89.

Hypertension is sometimes indicated when the bottom number is greater than 90.

One reading by itself is not enough to be considered as having High Blood Pressure. At least two readings taken on different days must be taken and an average of values will need to be studied before determining if a person has Hypertension. Consult your doctor immediately if you have concerns.

Some blood pressure monitors offer a third value, that of the pulse rate or how many times your heart beats per minute. These readings are affected by exercise, smoking, drinking coffee or outside stimulus. To improve the accuracy of blood pressure and pulse readings, refrain from exercise at least 30 minutes prior to taking the measurements.

Blood pressure readings respond to stress, nutritional factors, drugs, disease, exercise, and sometimes just standing up will change your readings.

Readings are indications of a person's general health and are among the four main vital signs that health care professionals measure when monitoring a patient: Body temperature; respiratory rate; pulse rate and blood pressure.

With any health concern, consult a health care professional to determine the proper course of action for your optimum health.

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When using a wrist cuff rather than an arm band type device, the position of the arm is important and can affect the outcome of the measurement. The arm should be at rest at or about heart level, like on the arm of a chair. It is also important to observe silence during the measurement (don't talk or gesture). Sit quietly for at least five minutes before you begin the test.

These devices are not as accurate as the type of professional equipment your doctor uses. To check your device's accuracy and for peace of mind, take your device with you to your doctor and compare the results of your wrist cuff measurements to his findings to determine if there is any significant variance in readings.

_{Medical advice or medical information provided in this article is from a Non Medical person and should be verified by your Doctor before incorporating it into your health regime.  Strictly speaking, this information is for discussion only and not intended to replace the advice of your medical professional.}