High blood pressure is one of those things that can quietly become a part of everyday life without you even realising it. Globally, it is the leading single risk factor for death and contributes to around half of deaths linked to heart disease and stroke, according to the World Heart Federation. In India, it is linked to roughly 1.6 million deaths every year, making it a major contributor to deaths from non-communicable diseases, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
So, if you are checking your blood pressure at home, it is worth getting the basics right. A reading takes barely a few minutes, but small things you do before and during it can matter. In an Instagram video shared on September 6, Dr Priyanka Sehrawat, a neurologist and general physician with MD Medicine and DM Neurology from AIIMS Delhi and an MBBS from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi, shared a few simple things to keep in mind.
Wait for at least 30 minutes after these activities
First things first, don't check your blood pressure immediately after certain everyday activities. Dr Sehrawat recommends waiting at least 30 minutes if you have:
- Exercised
- Gone for a walk
- Eaten a meal
- Had caffeine or tea
- Smoked
- Consumed alcohol
In other words, give your body a little time before reaching for the BP machine. Taking a reading straight after any of these activities may not give you the measurement you are looking for.
How to get a more accurate blood pressure reading
There are a few more things to remember once you actually sit down to take the reading.
Dr Sehrawat said blood pressure is best measured on the left arm. And rather than stopping after one reading, she recommends taking three readings and calculating their average. That, she said, gives a more accurate estimate of your blood pressure.
Then there is the cuff. It should be positioned at heart level while you take the reading. Whether you are sitting or lying down does not matter much, according to the neurologist.
What does matter is how snugly the cuff sits around your arm. "The cuff should be tight enough to allow you to comfortably insert two fingers underneath it," she advised.
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