When To Contact A Medical Professional
If you have high blood pressure, you will have regular checkups with your provider.
Even if you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is important to have your blood pressure checked during your regular check-up, especially if someone in your family has or had high blood pressure.
Contact your provider right away if home monitoring shows that your blood pressure is still high.
How To Check Blood Pressure Correctly
The most frequent method of measuring BP is with an automated sphygmomanometer. You will need to take a reading from an arm or leg cuff to check your blood pressure.
When using a manual sphygmomanometer, ensure that the device is fitted correctly. After this, squeeze the cuffs with the help of the inflation bulb until they create a slight resistance. Then, measure the amount of pressure required to achieve this resistance.
To read your blood pressure on a digital device, first locate the average reading displayed on the screen. Then, press down on the lower half of the monitor until blood pressure appears.
Next, measure your blood pressure by pressing down on the cuff until there is resistance and reading of the number shown on display.
NOTE
If you are using an arm cuff, make sure that it is correctly snugged around your upper arm. If using a leg cuff, ensure it is properly fitted around your ankle.
Causes Of High Blood Pressure
Although the exact cause is unknown, certain conditions, traits or habits may raise your risk for the condition. These are known as risk factors and include:
Non-modifiable risk factors: These factors are irreversible and cannot be changed. The more of these risk factors you have, the greater your chance of developing HBP.
- Starting at age 18, ask your doctor for a blood pressure reading at least every two years. If you’re age 40 or older, or you’re 18 to 39 with a high risk of high blood pressure, ask your doctor for a blood pressure reading every year.
- Family history/Genetics
- African Americans and non-white Hispanic Americans are at higher risk for developing high blood pressure than any other group in the U.S.
Modifiable risk factors: These factors can be modified, treated or controlled through medications or lifestyle changes.
- Excessive alcohol consumption over many years.
- Little to no physical activity
- Excessive amounts of salt in diet that excess the recommended amounts of 1,500 to 2,300 mg of sodium per day.
- Long history of smoking and/or drug abuse
- Extreme emotional stress
Other conditions that contribute to developing high blood pressure
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Risks Of High Blood Pressure
If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.
Persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as:
- have a relative with high blood pressure
- are of black African or black Caribbean descent
- live in a deprived area
Making healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure and help lower your blood pressure if it’s already high.
Monitor Your Blood Pressure Regularly
The best way to prevent complications and avoid problems is to recognize hypertension early.
Keep a log of your blood pressure readings and take it to your regular doctor appointments. This can help your doctor see any possible problems before the condition advances.
People with hypertension can deliver healthy babies despite having the condition. But it can be dangerous to both the birthing parent and baby if its not monitored closely and managed during the pregnancy.
People with high blood pressure who become pregnant are more likely to develop complications . For example, pregnant women with hypertension may experience decreased kidney function. Babies born to birthing parents with hypertension may have a low birth weight or be born prematurely.
Some people may develop hypertension during their pregnancies. Several types of high blood pressure problems can develop. The condition often reverses itself once the baby is born. Developing hypertension during pregnancy may increase your risk for developing hypertension later in life.
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Questions To Ask Your Doctor
You and your provider can work as a team to lower your high blood pressure. Here are some questions to ask so you can be fully informed.
- What should my blood pressure be?
- What kind of diet should I follow to help control my blood pressure?
- How much should I weigh?
- Can you recommend a diet or eating plan to help me reach that weight?
- How much exercise should I be doing?
Then, if your doctor has prescribed blood pressure medication, ask:
- How does this medication work?
- Is it generic, and if not, are there generic substitutes available?
- What are the side effects?
- What interactions might happen with the other drugs Iâm taking?
- Is there a specific time of day that I should take the medication?
- Should I take it with food or on an empty stomach?
Don’t hesitate to use the words “I don’t understand.” Doctors are only human and may not always know when they haven’t explained something well or in terms you can understand. Never feel embarrassed or shy about asking for clarification about something your doctor says.
When in doubt, repeat what your doctor has told you and ask if you’ve got it right. You can also ask if they recommend any specific reading materials about your condition.
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How Is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed
The only way to determine if you have high blood pressure is to have it tested. It is an easy and painless test and can be done in your doctors office.
To be prepared for the test:
- Avoid drinking coffee or smoking cigarettes for 30 minutes before the test.
- Go to the bathroom before the test.
- Sit for five minutes before being tested.
A gauge, stethoscope, and a blood pressure cuff are often used to measure your blood pressure.
While youre sitting down, your healthcare provider will wrap an inflatable arm cuff around your arm and measure your blood pressure using a pressure-measuring gauge. Throughout the test, try to avoid moving your arm.
Since your blood pressure varies throughout the day, your doctor will most likely take two to three blood pressure readings during your visit at three or more separate appointments to confirm that its elevated.
Your doctor may also measure your blood pressure in both arms to see if there is a difference.
Blood pressure readings include two numbers, given in millimeters of mercury .
The first number measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats , and is called systolic pressure.
The second number measures the pressure in your arteries between beats , and is called diastolic pressure.
Blood pressure measurements fall into the following five categories:
Normal Blood Pressure Blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg is considered normal. Once you get above this range, your risk of cardiovascular disease increases.
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Tips To Measure Your Blood Pressure Correctly
To determine whether you have hypertension, a medical professional will take a blood pressure reading. How you prepare for the test, the position of your arm, and other factors can change a blood pressure reading by 10% or more. That could be enough to hide high blood pressure, start you on a drug you don’t really need, or lead your doctor to incorrectly adjust your medications.
National and international guidelines offer specific instructions for measuring blood pressure. If a doctor, nurse, or medical assistant isn’t doing it right, don’t hesitate to ask him or her to get with the guidelines.
Here’s what you can do to ensure a correct reading:
Don’t drink a caffeinated beverage or smoke during the 30 minutes before the test.
Sit quietly for five minutes before the test begins.
During the measurement, sit in a chair with your feet on the floor and your arm supported so your elbow is at about heart level.
The inflatable part of the cuff should completely cover at least 80% of your upper arm, and the cuff should be placed on bare skin, not over a shirt.
Don’t talk during the measurement.
Have your blood pressure measured twice, with a brief break in between. If the readings are different by 5 points or more, have it done a third time.
For more on getting your blood pressure under control, buy Controlling Your Blood Pressure, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.
Image: cheyennezj/Getty Images
Tips For Checking Your Own Blood Pressure
There are certain factors that can cause blood pressure to temporarily rise. For example, blood pressure normally rises as a result of:
- Certain medicines
Try to avoid as many of these factors as you can when taking your blood pressure. Also, try to measure your blood pressure at about the same time each day. Your doctor may want you to check your blood pressure several times during the day to see if it fluctuates.
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Use An Aneroid Or Manual Monitor
An aneroid or manual monitor uses a gauge read by looking at a pointer on its dial. All you need to do is wrap the cuff around your arm, squeeze the rubber bulb, and inflate it by hand.
An aneroid monitor sells at about $20 to $40. The cuff has an in-built stethoscope, so you dont need to buy one. Its also easy to cuff the unit on your arm. Its portable, making it a suitable device for monitoring blood pressure at home or anywhere else.
There are a few disadvantages associated with this device. For instance, this device is complex, and you can easily record inaccurate data if youre not familiar with its usage.
Using an aneroid or manual monitor can also be challenging if you dont have a metal ring to tighten the cuff around your arm or if you have a hearing impairment. Finally, the rubber bulb used to inflate the cuff may be hard to squeeze for some people.
Diagnosing High Blood Pressure
Diagnosing hypertension is as simple as taking a blood pressure reading. Most doctors offices check blood pressure as part of a routine visit. If you dont receive a blood pressure reading at your next appointment, request one.
If your blood pressure is elevated, your doctor may request you have more readings over the course of a few days or weeks. A hypertension diagnosis is rarely given after just one reading.
Your doctor needs to see evidence of a sustained problem. Thats because your environment can contribute to increased blood pressure, like the stress you may feel by being at the doctors office. Also, blood pressure levels change throughout the day.
If your blood pressure remains high, your doctor will likely conduct more tests to rule out underlying conditions. These tests can include:
- cholesterol screening and other blood tests
- test of your hearts electrical activity with an electrocardiogram
- ultrasound of your heart or kidneys
- home blood pressure monitor to monitor your blood pressure over a 24-hour period at home
These tests can help your doctor identify any secondary issues causing your elevated blood pressure. They can also look at the effects high blood pressure may have had on your organs.
During this time, your doctor may begin treating your hypertension. Early treatment may reduce your risk of lasting damage.
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Salt Intake And High Blood Pressure
Reducing the amount of salt you eat can also help to manage or even avoid high blood pressure. To help reduce your salt intake:
- Ensure your diet consists of wholefoods including vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, lean meat and poultry, fish and seafood, legumes, unsalted nuts and seeds.
- Avoid packaged and processed foods that are high in salt. You cant see the salt in these foods, so you dont know how much salt you are having. Get into the habit of checking food labels.
- Choose low-salt food where possible. If you cant find low-salt products, those with moderate amounts of salt are ok too. Another simple alternative is to look for labels with low salt, salt reduced or no added salt.
- Avoid adding salt to cooking or at the table flavour meals with herbs and spices instead.
Treatment Of High Blood Pressure
Treatment for HBP depends on its severity and associated risks of developing other diseases. Treatment options include:
Lifestyle changes
- Make and keep appointments to see your doctor for routine check-ups and follow-up tests.
Medications
- ACE inhibitors will help blood vessels relax and open up, leading to a lower blood pressure.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers will help blood vessels open up, leading to a lower blood pressure.
- Beta blockers will help reduce your blood pressure.
- Alpha blockers will help reduce the arteries resistance, relaxing the muscle tone of the vascular walls.
- Alpha-2 receptor agonists will help reduce blood pressure by decreasing the activity of the sympathetic portion of the involuntary nervous system.
- Calcium channel blockers will help relax and open up narrowed blood vessels, reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure.
- Combined alpha and beta blockers are used as an IV drip for those patients experiencing a hypertensive crisis.
- Central agonists will help decrease the blood vessels ability to tense up or contract.
- Diuretics water pills will help reduce the amount of fluid retention in your body.
- Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors will help reduce blood pressure by blocking neurotransmitters in the brain.
- Vasodilators will help the muscle in the walls of the blood vessels to relax, allowing the vessel to dilate.
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How To Use An Automated Blood Pressure Machine
The simplest way to measure your own blood pressure is to purchase an automated cuff. Automatic blood pressure machines are easy to use, and theyre helpful if you have any hearing impairments.
These types of blood pressure cuffs have a digital monitor that will display your blood pressure reading on a screen. You can purchase these online, at most grocery stores, or at a health food store.
The American Heart Association recommends an automated, upper arm blood pressure monitor for at-home use. To use your digital blood pressure monitor, carefully follow the instructions that come with the monitor. You can also take the monitor to your doctors office, or even your local pharmacy, for a demonstration.
You should also have a notebook to use as a blood pressure log. This can be helpful for your doctor. You can also a free blood pressure log from the AHA.
Automated blood pressure machines can give you a different reading than a manual blood pressure reading.
Bring your cuff to your next doctors appointment so you can compare the reading from your cuff to the reading thats taken at your doctors office. This can help you calibrate your machine and identify the blood pressure levels you should look for on your own device.
Even if you check your blood pressure at home, your doctor will still want to manually check it during appointments.
Monitoring Your Blood Pressure
Taking your blood pressure at home is key, says Luke. If youre monitoring regularly, its not something you want to do every day, but you want to make it part of your routine a couple times a week. Taking it at various times throughout the day is also more accurate than the readings you receive at your doctors office, surprisingly, she says.
When patients are worried about having an appointment, finding parking and getting to their doctors office on time, these stress factors actually affect their blood pressure and whats taken at the time of their appointment may not be accurate.
Luke advises scheduling your readings around the time of your medications, or when you have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Try setting an alarm for when youre relaxing and watching television at night.
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What Is High Blood Pressure
Narrow blood vessels, also known as arteries, create more resistance for blood flow. The narrower your arteries are, the more resistance there is, and the higher your blood pressure will be. Over the long term, the increased pressure can cause health issues, including heart disease.
Hypertension is quite common. In fact, since the guidelines changed in 2017, nearly half of American adults could now be diagnosed with this condition.
Hypertension typically develops over the course of several years. Usually, you dont notice any symptoms. But even without symptoms, high blood pressure can cause damage to your blood vessels and organs, especially the brain, heart, eyes, and kidneys.
Early detection is important. Regular blood pressure readings can help you and your doctor notice any changes. If your blood pressure is elevated, your doctor may have you check your blood pressure over a few weeks to see if the number stays elevated or falls back to normal levels.
Treatment for hypertension includes both prescription medication and healthy lifestyle changes. If the condition isnt treated, it could lead to health issues, including heart attack and stroke.
Home Blood Pressure Testing
Blood pressure tests can also be carried out at home using your own blood pressure monitor.
Like 24-hour or ambulatory monitoring, this can give a better reflection of your blood pressure.
It can also allow you to monitor your condition more easily in the long term.
You can buy a variety of low-cost monitors so you can test your blood pressure at home or while you’re out and about.
Measure your blood pressure twice a day, ideally in the morning and the evening, while you’re sitting down.
Each time take 2 readings, 1 minute apart. Continue to measure your blood pressure twice a day for 7 days.
Your doctor or nurse will use this information to work out your average blood pressure.
It’s important to make sure you use equipment that’s been properly tested.
The British Hypertension Society has information about validated blood pressure monitors that are available to buy.
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