BY AMY SYNNOTT

New at home devices can help you take control of your own blood pressure, one of the most vital health metrics available. Here’s everything you need to know about how to use them for the most accurate results.  

If you have hypertension, measuring your blood pressure at home allows you to monitor your efforts to lower your blood pressure on a daily basis, which is why major organisations like the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology now recommend it as a routine component of care for patients with high blood pressure. Inexpensive and easy to perform, these devices can radically improve patient’s understanding of their own blood pressure while allowing their doctors to see how their blood pressure at home compares to in office measurements which are often skewed. 

Studies show measurements taken by patients at home are often lower than readings taken in the office (most likely because they eliminate white coat hypertension, false readings caused by anxiety). Home monitors more closely mirror BP recorded by 24-hour ambulatory monitors, which are considered the most accurate predictor of cardiovascular risk because they allow your doctor to see how your blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day—at work, at play, and at rest.

Home blood pressure monitors are, of course, far more convenient for patients to use because they don’t require being attached to a machine for 24 hours. The biggest barrier to widespread use: Many candidates for home monitoring don’t know how to use them (and most likely think they are harder to use than they really are). Here’s everything you need to know to use a home blood pressure monitor accurately at home.

How Take An Accurate Reading  

1. Take your blood pressure at the same time everyday, twice in the morning and twice at night. “Blood pressure fluctuates a lot so it’s important to get multiple readings,” NYC vascular surgeon Norman Chickadee, M.D. says.  “What matters is the general trend over a week. If it’s high then speak to your doctor.” 

2. Do not eat, consume caffeine, smoke or exercise for 30 minutes prior to a reading as it can cause a temporary spike in blood pressure. Some medications, like NSAIDs and common decongestants, can also increase blood pressure. 

3. Make sure you go to the bathroom before sitting down. Taking a reading with a full bladder can increase blood pressure.   

4. Place the bottom of the cuff directly above the bend of the elbow. The fit should be snug and secure, with enough room for two fingers to fit between your arm and the cuff. Rest for five minutes before taking the measurement. Resist the urge to check your phone. 

5. When you are ready to start, make sure your feet are flat on the floor uncrossed and your arm is supported on a table with the cuff at heart level (if the arm is below the heart it can yield a false high; if held above the level of the heart, it can give a false low). Do not talk, surf the internet or watch TV during the reading as all of these activities can potentially trigger stress, which can skew the reading.   

6. Wait one minute and then retake the reading. Write your measurements down in a journal and record it everytime. Share these numbers with your doctor so he or she can compare them to in office measurements and measure progress toward goals.  

Buying the Right Home Blood Pressure Monitor  

The PULSE monitor is the first home device that’s FDA-approved to measure both central blood pressure and peripheral (brachial) blood pressure. Central blood pressure is important because it measures pressure coming out of the heart, which is different from pressure in your arm. 

Pressure at the heart is affected by factors like arterial stiffness (the rigidity of the arterial wall) so it provides a more comprehensive, nuanced picture of vascular health near key organs like the heart, brain, and kidneys.     

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