Blood Pressure Monitor
Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home
Why should I measure my blood pressure at home and keep
a record of it?
Measuring your blood pressure at home and keeping a record of
the measurements will show you and your doctor how much your blood
pressure changes during the day. Your doctor can use the measurements
to see how well your medicine is working to control your high
blood pressure. Also, measuring your own blood pressure is a good
way to take part in managing your health.
What equipment do I need to measure my blood pressure?
To measure your blood pressure at home, you can use either an
aneroid monitor or a digital monitor. The aneroid monitor has
a dial gauge that is read by looking at a pointer. The cuff is
inflated by hand, by squeezing a rubber bulb. Digital monitors
have either manual or automatic cuffs. The blood pressure reading
flashes on a small screen. Choose the type of monitor that best
suits your needs.
Can I use a finger/wrist blood pressure monitor?
Tests have shown that finger/wrist devices do not measure blood
pressure very accurately. They are extremely sensitive to position
and body temperature, and are more expensive (more than $100)
than other monitors.