Measuring Blood Pressure Correctly
Measure while sitting or lying down in a quiet environment and rest for five minutes before the measurement. Then take two measurements with a gap of 1 - 2 minutes. Please record both measurements.
The measurement should be taken at heart level. This is especially important when measuring while sitting with a wrist device. Support your arm on the table. The cuff on upper arm devices is usually automatically at the correct height.
Please rest your arm on the table or support it accordingly, e.g., with a pillow. If the arm is only in your lap or hanging down, this can distort the values. For measurements with an upper arm cuff, the arm should be exposed. If you roll up your sleeve, ensure that blood flow is not restricted. Some measuring devices allow measurement with thin clothing. Please pay attention to the instructions of your measuring device.
Please rest your arm on the table or support it accordingly, e.g., with a pillow. If the arm is only in your lap or hanging down, this can distort the values. For measurements with an upper arm cuff, the arm should be exposed. If you roll up your sleeve, ensure that blood flow is not restricted. Some measuring devices allow measurement with thin clothing. Please pay attention to the instructions of your measuring device.
Do not speak or move during the measurement.
Do not measure immediately after meals.
Do not measure immediately after smoking or drinking coffee.
Do not measure immediately after a bath.
Your bladder should not be too full.
The environment should not be too cold.
Wait at least 30 minutes after exercise or physical activity before measuring.
According to guidelines, measurements should be taken twice at intervals of one to two minutes.
Follow the instructions for the respective measuring device in the accompanying manual.
Source:
- https://www.hochdruckliga.de/fileadmin/downloads/mediziner/leitlinien/Pocket-Leitlinie_Hypertonie_2018.pdf
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2824754?guestAccessKey=f167dda3-8cad-4f34-99ca-79865446c64f&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=100724
By Sabine Croci.
This article is medically reviewed. Last updated (10/2024).
Information on the website and within the app cannot replace a consultation with a doctor, but can certainly complement it.
We hope you found the article on the topic helpful. Correct measurement is very important for good blood pressure management. Our app BloodPressureDB helps with that. Concrete explanations guide you through a guideline-compliant measurement.
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