How to Use Your Home Blood Pressure Monitor

Aug 24, 2023

How to Use Your Home Blood Pressure Monitor

One of the most accurate ways to measure your blood pressure is to do it yourself, outside of the doctor’s office, in a comfortable setting like your home. It’s called self-measured blood pressure monitoring (SMBP). This short video will teach you how to use your home blood pressure monitor so that you can share your readings with your provider and, together with your health care team, make better decisions about your health care. For more information, visit millionhearts.hhs.gov.

Content

0.201 -> [heart monitor beeping]

4.916 -> >> What is blood pressure and why should you care?

7.915 -> Blood pressure is the force of your blood

9.911 -> against the walls of your arteries.

11.701 -> If your blood pressure is high,

13.938 -> this means that the pressure or force

16.526 -> is greater than what it should be.

18.403 -> This is also known as hypertension.

20.715 -> Hypertension can lead to stroke, vision loss,

24.109 -> heart attacks, heart failure, kidney disease, and more.

28.632 -> One of the most accurate ways to measure blood pressure

31.787 -> is to do it yourself outside of a doctor's office,

35.19 -> in a comfortable setting like your own home

37.904 -> with your own blood pressure monitor.

40.304 -> In fact, recent national guidelines

42.576 -> recommend self-measured blood pressure monitoring,

46.363 -> or SMBP for short,

49.501 -> and sharing these readings

51.037 -> with your health care provider team.

53.473 -> If you decide to buy your own blood pressure monitor,

56.633 -> make sure to follow the instructions

58.408 -> of your health care provider,

60.15 -> and make sure it's a cuff that goes around your upper arm

63.844 -> and has an internal memory.

66.708 -> It is important to get multiple readings

69.029 -> in your usual environment.

70.876 -> Multiple readings rather than one single reading

73.812 -> at your doctor's office gives a pattern of readings

77.197 -> to help your health care provider know

79.713 -> if the food you're eating,

81.501 -> exercise you're doing, or the medicines you're taking

84.641 -> are working to keep your blood pressure

86.801 -> at a healthy level.

88.65 -> To get the most accurate reading,

90.248 -> you will need to follow a few key steps.

93.685 -> >> First, remember not to exercise, smoke,

97.379 -> eat a large meal, take cold medicine or have caffeine

101.463 -> within 30 minutes of taking your blood pressure.

104.763 -> And if you're taking blood pressure medication,

107.491 -> measure your blood pressure before you take your medication.

111.001 -> Next, make sure to go to the bathroom

113.263 -> if needed before you take your blood pressure.

117.301 -> Once you're ready,

118.647 -> find a quiet place to sit with the blood pressure monitor.

122.852 -> Sit in a chair with your legs uncrossed

125.294 -> and your feet flat on the floor.

127.613 -> Keep your back straight and supported.

130.512 -> Place the blood pressure cuff

132.136 -> on your bare skin under your clothing

134.988 -> just above the bend in your elbow.

136.995 -> The cuff should be snug around your arm but not too tight.

141.547 -> Support your arm on a table or other surface

144.41 -> close to heart level with your palm facing up,

147.967 -> rest for five minutes before taking your blood pressure.

152.157 -> When you're ready, turn on the machine, and press Start.

156.367 -> The cuff will inflate and slowly deflate by itself.

160.159 -> Do not talk, read, text, or watch TV

163.431 -> while measuring your blood pressure.

165.368 -> Stay still and relax.

167.674 -> When the monitor is finished taking your blood pressure,

170.499 -> you will see two numbers.

172.507 -> The top number is systolic blood pressure,

176.029 -> which shows the pressure in your arteries

177.921 -> when your heart beats.

180.002 -> The bottom number is diastolic blood pressure,

183.69 -> which is the pressure in the arteries

185.393 -> when your heart is at rest.

187.855 -> It is ideal to take at least two readings

190.584 -> in the morning and in the evening

193.106 -> one minute apart,

194.473 -> but follow your health care provider's instructions.

197.344 -> If your top number is above 180

200.338 -> or your bottom number is over 120,

203.406 -> wait five minutes and test again.

206.472 -> If the reading is still above 180 systolic or 120 diastolic,

212.512 -> contact your health care provider immediately.

216.452 -> When finished, remove the cuff from your arm

218.998 -> and place the monitor in a safe and dry place.

223.394 -> >> There are three things you should remember.

224.957 -> Number one, take your blood pressure

227.164 -> in the morning and evening at the same times.

229.627 -> Number two, follow directions of your health care team

233.352 -> on how to bring the readings to your provider.

235.675 -> Number three, don't forget to bring the actual monitor

239.178 -> to all your appointments.

241.624 -> Remember, using your blood pressure monitor

244.275 -> in a comfortable environment

246.008 -> and sharing multiple readings with your health care team

249.3 -> will help to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tGyRJxbYpQ