High blood pressure is a common disorder. It can be controlled in a lot of ways; however, in most cases, people are not aware they have high blood pressure.
In effect, they suffer a stroke and develop heart ailments and other disorders. Monitoring blood pressure is a way to prevent risks such as stroke. You can do it at home, even without your doctor.
The most common blood pressure monitoring instruments used is the sphygmomanometer. It has a soft rubber cuff with an air bladder that is connected to a tube and bulb used to force air into the bladder. It also has a gauge that shows the amount of pressure exerted.
Today, more advanced and accurate automatic blood pressure machines are increasingly being used to monitor blood pressure. They come with a digital display that shows the readings.
Some blood pressure machines have a feature that stores the readings, but it is still advisable to record them yourself.
Other blood pressure machines are larger (as large house furniture) and have more advanced features such as built-in weight scale and backlit display screen.
If you can’t afford to buy one (most machines are expensive, prices can go as high as $100), you can ask your doctor if he can lend his machine to you, so you can conveniently monitor your blood pressure at home.
Before you do your own monitoring, it would be best to bring your blood pressure machine to your attending physician first (if you have one) to ensure its accuracy.
The accuracy of the readings is very important to prevent misdiagnosis. Also, make sure to repeat measurements as many digital blood pressure machines’ readings and accuracy are changed by mere body movements.
Furthermore, since digital and automatic blood pressure machines are battery operated, the readings may also be erroneous at times when the battery runs low.
