Monitoring Blood Pressure at Home

Click here for the Monitoring Blood Pressure Form

When complete, please email to admin.farnhamdene@nhs.net

Guidelines for measuring blood pressure at home

When and how often?

Measure your blood pressure for 1 week
You need to measure your blood pressure 2 times a day: in the morning and again in the afternoon or early evening.

Instructions

Wear a short sleeved t-shirt or loose fitting top so that the sleeve can be pushed up comfortably.
Always use the same arm for all your readings. The nurse will inform you which arm to monitor. If there is a noticeable difference, then we will ask you to monitor your BP in your highest arm.
Before taking the readings, try to rest for 5 minutes. You should be sitting down at a desk or table, with your arm resting on a firm surface and your feet flat on the floor.
Put the cuff on following the instructions from the nurse or your manual. You need to make sure you are using the correct sized cuff for your arm circumference-the nurse can advise you on this.
It is important that your arm is supported and that the cuff around the arm is at the same level as your heart. You may need to support your arm with a cushion to make sure it is at the correct height. Ensure your arm is relaxed and not tense.
When the reading is being taken keep still and silent. Moving and talking can affect the readings
Take 2 readings waiting about 1- 2 minutes between each one. Record on the form the lowest of the 2 readings. Don’t start recording your readings until day 2 as we are going to ignore the first day’s readings while you get used to the machine. At the end of the week you should have 14 readings. If you can, please work out the average of all your readings.
There are several factors that can make your blood pressure rise temporarily: exercise, excitement and pain are just a few. Make sure your bladder is empty, and that you have not eaten, smoked or had any caffeine within 30 minutes of taking your blood pressure readings.