How To Keep Track Of Your Blood Pressure At Home?

By Author: medguard
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Someone with high blood pressure must always keep track of their levels, be it at home or outside. It is a matter that shouldn't be neglected at any cost. It is mainly important because hypertension can damage the body early before they start showing symptoms. 
And without treatment, there can be many risks such as a deadly heart attack, disability, etc. At Medguard, we provide a wide range of blood pressure monitors both for professional and home use. Don't know how to monitor blood pressure at home? Well, here is how you can keep track using a BP monitor at home. 
4 Ways of Tracking Blood Pressure at Home Quite Efficiently

Sit Correctly

The very first thing you need to do is to sit in a comfortable position for around 5 minutes. Make sure your legs and ankles are uncrossed and your back supported against a chair. Keep your mind free from stress and things straight. Also, avoid talking. 

Position your Arm 

Now you'll need to position your arm. Whether measuring for the first time or repeatedly, ...
... remember to use the same arm. So rest and raise your arm to your heart level either on a desk, table, or chair. Besides, you can also use a pillow. 

Roll-up your Sleeve 

For accurate reading, now remove any clothes or simply roll up your sleeves. Remember, placing the cuff on clothes might affect the readings. Instead, place it over your upper arm and tighten it enough that two fingers can fit underneath. 

Repeat Reading 

Now wait for 2 to 3 minutes after the tool shows the reading. Next, take another to check if the ratings are similar and accurate. There are many blood pressure monitors available these days. So choose the one that helps to keep track of readings or heart rates. If you don't have one, you can simply write it down somewhere. Besides, be it any tool you choose, remember practice and training is important. 
Benefits of Monitoring Blood Pressure at Home 
Monitoring blood pressure at home offers a wide range of benefits, thanks to the availability of various diagnostic tools these days. Furthermore, the benefits are as follows :

Early Diagnosis 

With the help of a home BP monitor, you can gain access to early diagnosis as compared to occasional readings in a medical healthcare center. People with hypertension can diagnose their levels early, thereby taking preventive measures. 

Better Track 

To know if your medications and lifestyle changes are working properly, checking blood pressure regularly is very important. This is where diagnostic tools such as home blood pressure come in. They help in keeping a regular track and also help in making necessary adjustments. 

Better Control 

With the help of regular testing and tracking, you can keep better control of your health. The readings help in keeping you informed about what changes you should make. And with the necessary changes in your diet, physical activity, and medications, you can expect positive results. 

Cost Effective 

Another benefit of home monitoring is that you don't have to visit medical centers or doctors more often. This as a result saves the costs of both visits as well as traveling expenses. 
Pro Tips for Accurate Blood Pressure Monitoring 
Here are some pro tips for accurate blood monitoring at home:

Always make sure you've purchased the correct device. The best way to check is to compare your readings to the readings of a medical office device. You can also ask the provider to check.
Whether in the morning or the evening, always take 2 or 3 readings. This helps in ensuring that the results are accurate. 
Monitor your blood pressure each day at the same time. Also, remember to eat nothing or take any medications before doing it in the morning. 

Things to Consider when Choosing a Home Blood Pressure Monitor
As said earlier, these days there are different types of blood pressure monitors available. Therefore, it is always important to ask your doctor before purchasing. Furthermore, Here are some things to consider beforehand :

Always choose a monitor with an upper cuff. Also, make sure you have the right cuff size for your arm. Being the UK's leading supplier we at Medguard have different varieties available along with reusable and disposable cuffs. You can also expect our exceptional team members to guide you through. 
Choose displays that show readings and measurements clearly. 
Always check your device accuracy, once a year by bringing it back to the manufacturer or provider. 

Aim at Minimizing Your Diseases Every Minute  
For irregular heartbeats, home blood pressure monitors won't be effective. And people with high risks of heart attack must always keep track of their blood pressure and health. For this, you can use diagnostic tools to monitor heart diseases to keep a regular checkup. Besides, you should also adopt healthy lifestyle changes such as quitting smoke, eating healthy items and more.

Paul Clifford is the Owner & CEO of Medguard. He aims to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure of the country by supplying medical devices and consumable products of top-notch quality.