Avoid this Mistakes when taking your blood pressure

One term for high blood pressure is the “silent killer.”

An integral component of keeping an eye on your health is taking your blood pressure. For good reason, the majority of doctors and clinics take it at the start of each appointment!

Although hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, usually shows no symptoms, it can cause potentially fatal illnesses like heart attacks and strokes. Thus, it’s crucial to monitor your home regularly. Early detection of high blood pressure enables you and your healthcare providers to take appropriate action before serious consequences arise.

It’s important to take your blood pressure appropriately because these numbers are quite important. Here are a few common errors to steer clear of.

Avoid this Mistakes when taking your blood pressure

1. Never take a blood pressure reading

Not taking your blood pressure at all is the biggest mistake you could make when it comes to health. It’s the only way to determine whether you have high blood pressure, which is referred to as a “silent killer” by the National Institutes of Health due to its link to potentially fatal medical disorders. In contrast to many other medical problems, hypertension can develop subtly over an extended period of time.

However, a 2022 study that was published in the American Medical Association journal JAMA Network Open revealed that less than half (48%) of patients monitor their blood pressure, even if they take medication for hypertension or have a condition connected to hypertension.

2. Making use of a faulty gadget

During an appointment, a medical professional can take your blood pressure; additionally, certain locations, such pharmacies, offer free readings. On the other hand, tracking your blood pressure is simpler if you have a gadget at home. However, your gadget must be precise. It is useless to regularly check your blood pressure if the readings are off.

On its ValidateBP.org website, the American Medical Association maintains a list of reliable devices that the organization has evaluated.

3. Using a cuff that is too small

Cuff size matters, according to the American Heart Association. According to a 2022 study that was published in an AHA medical magazine, gadgets that were too tiny for the patient frequently generated falsely high results. Occasionally, readings that were incorrectly low were the result of employing a cuff that was too big.

According to the study’s findings, those with a mid-upper arm circumference larger than 32 cm (12.6 inches) ought to use an extra-large or big cuff instead of a conventional one. Instead of using a standard cuff, people with a mid-upper arm circumference of 20 to 25 centimeters (7.9 to 9.8 inches) should use a tiny one.

4. Consuming tea, coffee, or soda in advance

Caffeine can increase blood pressure even if your baseline is already high, so avoid ingesting any within 30 minutes of taking a reading. It’s not necessary to completely abstain from caffeine, though. Not everyone is especially sensitive to caffeine, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. According to the institution, you should consider reducing your caffeine intake if you consume it 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure reading and it spikes by 5 to 10 points.

5. Working out first

A healthy lifestyle must include regular exercise, which can help maintain normal blood pressure, as we discussed in “This Simple Exercise Lowers Blood Pressure the Most.”

However, don’t exercise or do anything else that would increase your heart rate before taking your blood pressure. Your blood pressure may momentarily rise after exercising for up to two hours.

6. ill-fitting posture

During a reading, there are proper and incorrect ways to position yourself. Ensure that the chair you’re on supports your back and is comfortable. Before taking your blood pressure, you should sit there for five minutes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Make sure your legs are not crossed and that both of your feet are flat on the ground. Additionally, the cuffed arm of yours needs to be lying at chest height on the table.

7. Measuring just once

When taking your blood pressure at home, always measure twice. The Harvard Medical School advises measuring each arm at least once. One arm’s reading may be greater than the other’s, but there shouldn’t be much of a difference—no more than five points. If the gap is regularly greater than ten points, you should consult a doctor as it may be a sign of a health problem.

8. Putting the sleeve on the cuff

The American Heart Association states that placing a blood pressure cuff over a sleeve can increase a reading by up to 50 points, depending on the fabric thickness of your garment. If the reading is off, you might not receive the necessary medical attention or you might receive care that causes more harm than good.

read also : 10 foods to avoid to reduce blood pressure

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Avoid this Mistakes when taking your blood pressure Avoid this Mistakes when taking your blood pressure Avoid this Mistakes when taking your blood pressure Avoid this Mistakes when taking your blood pressure

7 Mistakes You Make When Taking Your Blood Pressure (msn.com)