Measuring blood pressure at home without fooling yourself

A home monitor is only useful if the numbers are trustworthy. Almost all bad readings come from the same handful of mistakes.

Sit still first

Five quiet minutes before the first reading. A measurement taken straight after climbing stairs tells you about the stairs.

Get the cuff right

Wrap it on bare skin, roughly two centimetres above the elbow crease, snug enough that two fingers just fit underneath. A cuff that is too small reads high.

Support the arm

The cuff should sit at heart level, arm resting on a table. An unsupported arm adds several points.

Take more than one

Two or three readings a minute apart, then use the average. Single readings vary more than people expect.

Log it

Note the date, time and both numbers. A trend over two weeks is far more useful to your doctor than one alarming figure.