Natural Health and Herbal Remedies Blog

BLOOD PRESSURE-MEASURING: HOW TO GET ACCURATE BP READINGS

Whenever your blood pressure (BP) is to be taken, whether you are doing it yourself or someone is doing it for you, you should keep several factors in mind so that you can get the most accurate reading.

The U.S. Pharmacist (11 #7:15) reports that one should rest for at least 15 minutes before a blood pressure reading is taken. This is important because the BP rises to compensate for the increased amount of blood that pools in the legs by gravity as when one is moving about. Without this compensatory increase of BP, the amount of blood flow to the brain would become inadequate during periods of physical activity. The height of one’s BP, furthermore, depends upon how active one has been just before it is taken.

In addition, Geriatrics (37#3:38) suggests that whenever possible blood pressure readings be taken with the patient standing. They stress that the decision to change antihypertensive medication dosage should never be based solely upon sitting pressures. This is because when elderly people get up onto their feet, the blood pressure tends to fall, and this drop is especially profound in people taking treatment for hypertension.

Because an abnormal artery in one arm can give mislead-ingly high blood pressure readings on that side, the pressure should be taken from both arms. The arms, furthermore, should be supported on a table, etc., since a dangling arm gives falsely high blood pressure readings.

Since your BP will also rise if you inhale tobacco smoke or consume caffeine, do not smoke (or even sit near any smokers) or drink coffee, etc., for at least an hour before your pressure is taken.

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