To determine if you have high blood pressure, a specialist measures your blood pressure. How to prepare for the test, arm position and other factors can change blood pressure by 10% or more. This is enough to hide high blood pressure, prescribe a drug that you do not need or cause your doctor to prescribe the wrong drug.

National and international law provides specific guidelines for measuring blood pressure. If your doctor, nurse or medical assistant does not do this properly, do not hesitate to ask him or her about these issues.

Here are some things you can do to ensure you read correctly:

Avoid caffeinated beverages and cigarettes for 30 minutes before the test.

Sit for five minutes before performing the test.

While measuring, sit on a chair with your feet on the floor.

Your elbows should be approximately at the level of your heart.

Cover at least 80% of the arm surface with the inflatable part of the pressure gauge armband

Do not talk while measuring.

Measure your blood pressure twice, with a short break in between. If the measured amount is more than 5 units different, do this measurement again.

There are times to break these rules. If you sometimes feel light in the morning when you get out of bed or when you stand up, you should check your blood pressure while sitting and then standing to see if it changes from one position to another.

Because blood pressure varies throughout the day, doctors rarely make a diagnosis based on a single observation. Instead, he wants to confirm the measurements at least twice, usually within a few weeks. This blood pressure is an exception if the blood pressure is 180/110 mm Hg or higher. A result so high usually requires prompt treatment.

It is also a good idea to measure your blood pressure in both arms at least once, as the degree may be higher in one arm (usually on the right) than in the left. A 2014 study in the American Medical Journal of approximately 3,400 people showed differences in mean systolic blood pressure in the arm of about 5 points. Higher amounts should be used to decide on treatment.

In general, blood pressure between 160/100 mm Hg and 109/179 mm Hg should be re-examined within two weeks, while measurements between 90/140 and 99/159 mm should be repeated within four weeks. People with high blood pressure (between 80/120 and 89,139 mm Hg) should be re-examined every four to six months, and those with doses (less than 80/120 mm Hg) should be re-examined once a year.

If there is a big difference between your blood pressure in the previous sessions and the current session, or if there are signs of damage to the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes and the risk of cardiovascular factors, your doctor may set a date for the visit sooner.

Also, most doctors measure your blood pressure every time you see a doctor for any reason.

Source:

www.health.harvard.edu