Aletta/Belinda Monitoring your blood pressure at home - MayoClinic.com

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I had to keep track of mine for a month. Dr. said I was about

to have some real problems.

Barb in Arlington, Texas

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Monitoring your blood pressure at home

By taking control of your high blood pressure, you can lower your risk of complications, such as heart disease and stroke. To help you gain control and maintain control, your doctor may recommend that you monitor your blood pressure at home.

Blood pressure is measured using a manometer (sphygmomanometer). Even though mercury-based manometers are being phased out because of the danger of environmental mercury poisoning, blood pressure measurements are still expressed in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

There are two numbers in a blood pressure reading:

Systolic pressure is the first number. It is the blood pressure when your heart pumps.

Diastolic pressure is the second number. It is the blood pressure when your heart rests.

Average normal adult blood pressure is 120 systolic over 80 diastolic. These numbers vary with activity and are higher when you exercise and lower when you’re at rest. If your blood pressure is consistently more than 140/90 mm Hg at rest, you have high blood pressure.

Blood pressure categories for adults

Condition

Systolic (Top Number)

Diastolic (Bottom Number)

What to Do

Optimal*

Less than 120

and

Less than 80

Recheck in 2 years

Normal

Less than 130

and

Less than 85

Recheck in 2 years

High-normal**

130-139

or

85-89

Recheck in 1 year

Hypertension***Stage 1

140-159

or

90-99

Confirm within 2 months

Stage 2

160-179

or

100-109

See doctor within 1 month

Stage 3

180 or higher

or

110 or higher

See doctor immediately or within 1 week

Source: National Institutes of Health, 1997. Numbers are expressed in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

* Optimal means the preferred range in terms of cardiovascular risk. Unusually low readings should be evaluated.** High-normal blood pressure may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.*** Hypertension diagnosis is based on the average of two or more readings (high systolic or diastolic readings — or both) taken at each of two or more visits after an initial screening. Systolic hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, even without elevated diastolic pressure, especially in older people.

If your doctor recommends that you monitor your blood pressure at home, he or she will help you determine how often you need to monitor, at what time of day and when you need to return for more office visits. Blood pressure generally is lower at home by 5 units — for example, 135/85 at home would correspond to 140/90 at your doctor’s office.

Contact your doctor if you have blood pressure readings of 180/110 mm Hg or higher, says Sheldon Sheps, M.D., emeritus professor of medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Also call your doctor if you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headaches or heart palpitations. People with high blood pressure are at greater risk of stroke, heart attacks and kidney damage.

Types of manometers

Four types of home blood pressure manometers are available:

Mercury manometers

Aneroid manometers

Digital or electric manometers

Wrist manometers

A fifth type of manometer, the finger manometer, is available, but this type of manometer isn’t recommended due to its inaccurate readings, says Dr. Sheps.

Your doctor can help you choose a manometer and show you how to use it correctly. You can find home blood pressure manometers at medical supply stores, pharmacies and some discount stores.

For more information about each of these manometers, click on the images below.

Aneroid manometer

Digital manometer

Mercury manometer

Wrist manometer

Related Information

What Is High Blood Pressure?

High Blood Pressure Center

What Is Coronary Artery Disease?

What Is a Stroke?

What Is a Heart Attack?

High blood pressure Web guide

You have high blood pressure. Now what?

HI00016

January 30, 2002

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