Self-monitoring of Blood Pressure SMBP

Individual can take their BP at home or office thanks to availability of automated BP monitors. Patients should be advised not to take their BP several time per week but rather two days per week to avoid paying much attention to their BP. Focusing much on one’s BP can also lead to anxiety that may raise the BP.

Most self monitoring devices are self activated, and misreporting of blood pressure readings is possible. Recently, the use of memory equipped devices has reduced such error, which can also be avoided by adopting telemedicine techniques, which lead to further improvement in controlling blood pressure. Although the technique is easy to learn, some patients may not be good candidates for self monitoring, which may result in anxiety or modification of treatment by the patient.

Step 1: Get a BP monitor

You can purchase a BP monitor from a nearby pharmacy or online pharmacy at an affordable cost. Always bear in mind that a higher price doesn't necessarily correlate to better quality. The digital BP monitor is the one suitable for home use because it requires less effort as the readings are displayed like whole numbers for you, everything is automated. The only thing you will have to learn will be how to fit the cuff round your arm. Your pharmacist or doctor will teach you this.

Step 2: visit a pharmacist or doctor with the BP monitor you purchase

Your healthcare provider will help you to justify your newly purchased device. A pharmacist or doctor will educate you on how to use the BP monitor to read your BP. He/she will probably use manual BP gauge with sphygmomanometer as a control to ensure your BP monitor is taking your correct approximate BP value. You can do that often for a re-evaluation.

Step 3: Take your blood pressure

Before you take your BP, avoid caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and exercise for at least 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure.

• Sit with your feet flat on the floor, rest your back against the chair, and place your arm on a table. Your arm and the BP monitor should be on the same level as your heart.
• After sitting quietly for five minutes, wrap the cuff fittingly around the upper part of your bare arm. The center of the cuff should sit over your artery (some blood pressure monitors have an arrow to help you with placement).
• An automatic monitor will inflate by itself when you press a button.
• Check the top and bottom readings on display window. The top number is your systolic pressure—the blood pressure when your heart beats. The bottom number is your diastolic pressure—the pressure in between heartbeats. Write down your blood pressure number each time you measure it so you can track it over time.

Step 4: interpret and utilize your BP reading

Based on the BP monitor reading, you can interpret the results according JNC 7 or 8 guidelines on hypertension.

According to JNC 7, patients with sustained hypertension are further divided into

Stage 1 hypertension (systolic BP 140-159 or diastolic BP 90-99 mmHg)

Stage 2 hypertension (systolic BP ≥160 or diastolic BP ≥100 mmHg) or severe HTN, and those with compelling indications that include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and renal disease.

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