How useful is the blood pressure checking instrument?
Senior Lecturer and Consultant Physician,
University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
Q: I am a 33 year old male and am suffering from high B.P. I am taking medicines to control the BP and it is okay now a days. My question is how often should a person check his BP? Is it advisable for me purchase a BP checking machine; is it possible for a layman to use the machine? If at all it should be purchased, which brand is prefered? Please advise me. I have taken valuable advice from this portal on numerous occasions.
A:In general, patients whose blood pressure has been stabilised on treatrment should have it checked once every month in their doctors surgery. If at any time it is either high or low then they should have it checked every day for a few days to get the real picture and have their treatment adjusted. It is a good idea to have ones own machine to measure it as long as one does not get too preoccupied and anxious with ones blood pressure. These days you can get a lightweight, very portable sphygmomanometer that works on air instead of mercury. However, these machines tend to overestimate or underestimate the measurements as compared with a mercury sphygmomanometer. If you acquire one of these, then you should take it with you to your doctor and compare its reading with that of your doctors machine to know which way and how much the difference is. This way you can make a suitable adjustment to your own readings. If you want to buy a reliable mercury sphymomanometer then you will also need a stethoscope and the help of someone else to use it on you. If you buy a machine then you can measure your blood pressure one day a week. Choose a different day each week and measure your blood pressure at least 4 times (at rising, mid-morning, afternoon and evening) and keep a record of your readings which you can show to your doctor. You should rest for about 5 minutes before you measure your blood pressure.