On World Day 5 rules for measuring blood pressure

On the occasion of the World Day Against High Blood Pressure, which falls on May 17 of each year, cardiologist Ionona Khamitskaya identified 5 rules for measuring blood pressure.

The expert talked about the various devices that are used to measure blood pressure levels in homes, medical clinics and hospitals, as well as devices that measure blood pressure levels throughout the day.

According to her, there is a set of rules for measuring blood pressure level:

The appropriate cuff must be used for each person.

Measure blood pressure before taking antihypertensive medications if the person is undergoing treatment.

Do not smoke or drink coffee half an hour before measuring your blood pressure.

Go to the toilet before measuring your blood pressure and sit quietly for five minutes.

Relax the hand and place it on a flat surface at heart level. 

She says: “The cuff should be placed on the bare arm and not on clothing. The cuff should be at the level of the middle of the sternum, at a height of 2-3 cm above the cubital fossa. The person being measured should sit on a chair without crossing his legs.” He must relax his hand and place it on a flat surface at the level of the heart. During this time, he must sit quietly and not speak.

It may seem that the main problem with high arterial blood pressure is either not measuring it and ignoring the high level, or measuring it incorrectly. Moreover, some patients fear that their blood pressure will rise. They measure it constantly, which causes its level to rise in response to stress.

She says: “Before visiting a doctor, it is sufficient to measure blood pressure twice a day for a week or at least for three days, with a minimum of 12 measurements. To monitor the effectiveness of long-term treatment, it is recommended to measure blood pressure once or twice a week or once a month.”