Blood Pressure Monitors

Hypertension occurs when the systolic blood pressure is equal to/greater than 135 mmHg & the diastolic blood pressure is equal to/greater than 80 mmHg. If left uncontrolled, hypertension can cause heart attack, stroke, dementia, kidney failure, vision loss amongst the serious consequences.

Yes, it is quite normal for people’s blood pressure to change throughout the day & night, or in different settings where you may measure your blood pressure. Many things, such as stress levels, food or drink intake, activity levels, even time of day can all affect a person’s blood pressure reading at any given time. In fact, there are published studies that show a given person’s blood pressure can change by up to 20mm within a day, based on activity levels, food/drink intake, stress, etc. This is why it is important to take your blood pressure on a regular basis, & review the overall trend of your blood pressure readings with your doctor.

One should not be too concerned about one single measurement. It is important to take measurements every day at the same time & to know one’s own BP trend, as BP continually changes throughout the day due to the daily fluctuation cycle & many other factors.

It is optimal to measure blood pressure within 1 hour after you get up in the morning & before you go to bed at night.

If you measure your blood pressure in the morning, take the measurement within 1 hour after you get up; before having breakfast & after visiting the restroom, rest for 1-2 minutes & then take the measurement in a sitting position.
If you measure your blood pressure at night, after resting for 1-2 minutes, take the measurement in a sitting position before you go to bed.

It is recommended to take the measurement at the same time period every day.

Yes, you will see some differences. This is normal & can occur for many reasons. Some of the more common reasons are:

1. A person’s blood pressure varies throughout the day, so at any given moment your blood pressure can change.
2. In terms of the amount of change; there are published studies that show a given person’s blood pressure can change by up to 20 mm within a day, based on activity levels, food/drink intake, stress, etc.
3. You may have a condition known as “White Coat Hypertension.” This is a condition in which a blood person’s blood pressure rises above its usual level when it is measured in a doctor’s office or clinical setting.
4. You may have a condition known as “Masked Hypertension.” This is a situation in which a person’s blood pressure falls below its usual level when it measure in a doctor’s office or clinical setting.

So do not be alarmed when you see differences between your readings at home compared to your readings in your doctor’s office. Discuss it with your doctor to get the best overall picture of your heart health.

1. Sit quietly for about 5 minutes with both feet flat on the floor.
2. Do not smoke, bathe, drink caffeinated drinks/alcohol or exercise 30 minutes before measurement
3. Measure at the same time every day
4. Take multiple readings & record the results using a diary or an app