Understanding Your Home Blood Pressure Readings: A New Guide
If you measure your blood pressure at home, it is easy to focus on one reading that seems higher or lower than expected.
But blood pressure naturally changes throughout the day. Activity, stress, caffeine, posture and even the way you take the measurement can affect an individual result.
That is why a pattern of repeated, well-taken readings is usually more useful than one number on its own.
Our new guide, Understanding Your Home Blood Pressure Readings, explains how to make sense of a series of home blood pressure measurements.
What does the guide explain?
The guide covers:
why one blood pressure reading is not enough
what a home blood pressure average can tell you
what the commonly used 135/85 mmHg home blood pressure threshold means
why readings taken at home and in a clinic can sometimes differ
what to do with your completed blood pressure record
when a very high reading or certain symptoms may require medical attention
It also explains an important distinction: a blood pressure level used to help assess for hypertension is not automatically your personal treatment target. Your healthcare professional may recommend a different target based on your individual circumstances.
If you already monitor your blood pressure at home, this guide can help you understand the overall pattern and prepare a useful record to discuss with your healthcare professional.
Read the full guide: Understanding Your Home Blood Pressure Readings
Need to collect a reliable series first? See our How to Measure Blood Pressure at Home guide.
