What is the best way to check blood pressure?
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As part of a new weekly series, in association with LloydsPharmacy, a trained pharmacist answers your common medicine queries…
Q: Is it best to check my blood pressure with a wrist or upper arm cuff?
Ideally both arms should be checked and the arm with the higher result is then used for subsequent readings
A: The cuff should be at the same level as the heart as this best replicates the blood pressure in the heart — an upper arm cuff means you’re starting in a good position to get a more accurate reading, says Colin Dougall of LloydsPharmacy in Glasgow.
Ideally both arms should be checked and the arm with the higher result is then used for subsequent readings — this is sometimes referred to as your reference arm.
Blood pressure fluctuates and can be affected by many things, including a big meal or a strong coffee.
Your local LloydsPharmacy pharmacist is a great source of information on common medical queries
Using an approved blood pressure monitor (see the British Hypertension Society website bhsoc.org), sit with your feet flat on the floor (crossing your legs can affect the result), relax for three to five minutes and then take the reading.
If it’s raised, do it again in the morning and the evening every day for a week — and take two readings a minute or two apart each time to work out on average.
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