When to measure:
- Monitor your blood pressure in the morning and evening at roughly the same time.
- Measure your morning blood pressure before you take any medication.
- Don’t exercise, smoke, eat or drink caffeine in the 30 minutes before measurements
Measuring blood pressure:
- DO sit quietly for 5 minutes before starting measurements (no TV, talking, reading, phone use)
- DO sit with feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed, upper arm bare, back and arm supported with upper arm at the level of the heart.
- DO record the numbers in the tables below exactly as they appear on the monitor screen- do not round them up or down.
- DO take a take a minimum of two readings, leaving at least a minute between each. If the first two readings are very different, take 2 or 3 further readings. Input the last 2 readings into the table. Your average readings will be calculated automatically.
- DO use the 'note' sections on each day to record the things that could affect your reading - e.g. feeling unwell or changes to medication.
- DO click the save button at the bottom of the form once you've input your readings into the table. You'll be able to return to the form to input your readings for the next day.
- DO click submit once you have done all 7 days worth of readings.