Can I mess up my blood pressure readings at home? Thoughts?

@jenatsky
But how interchangeable are they between units? If you have an inch or more of fat over your artery how can you be assure that any cuff will work with that? Why would my local clinic even be allowed to use a wrist unit in say the orthopedic dept if they are unreliable? I know they are touchy to use. I get great readings in my PCP's office; elsewhere in the clinic not so much. I recently saw my hand surgeon and at that time my BP was 100/64. Makes no sense as I had walked in from the parking lot and into the exam room with not much rest. Recently at Mayo I had a 24 hour monitor and my average readings indicate stage 2 hypertension. At one point the cuff must have been knowked awry as I could feel it get extra tight which I knew would wake me up IF I got to sleep. Could have been while putting on a backpack, but I couldn't move the cuff to adjust it without loosening it some.

@bajjerfan the key thing you said was you get great readings in my PCP’s office. So do I and I ignore any other readings anyone gets except mine at home or my PCP. When I go to my pain doc they always pop on the automatic cuff and my BP is always high. The doc says nothing and so do I. He’s unconcerned with a slightly abnormal BP. That not his profession and unless it’s outrageously low or high they’ll take a pass.
When you have a few moments in your PCP office before you are brought back to the exam room you sit and rest after having walked from your car. Then you sit for a short period hopefully to again have your body in a relaxed state. Now is the perfect time to take your BP. And just like your PCP and mine the numbers are normal. My PCP is my main man that I trust since 2008. I think you’re getting worked up over nothing.
I have familial HTN since my 30’s when I was 140 lbs and 5’8” in great shape as did my brothers too.

@jenatsky

I'm not worked up over it. I'm just commenting about a lack of consistency between measurements. I walk into my PCP's office with little or no time to relax and the readings are still ok.

After several 24 hour monitoring situations the people at Mayo consider my readings as high, ergo stage 2 hypertension.

@bajjerfan what medications are you on? I take Lisinopril 10mg since 1984.

An aside, I think most people don’t realize how much pressure varies throughout a day, a week, a month. Consistency in taking readings and averaging those for your normal is important in my opinion. My personal routine is right when I wake up and right before I go to bed. I might take another reading during the day if I feel odd just for my own information. I don’t include those in my averages. The app for my BP machine lets me export that data when I go see a doc so its not just that one office reading they are looking at.

@altilla

I look for trends not specific results. Then again your doc has to make decisions based on not very many readings.

Please go on YouTube and look for the video that explains to you how to successfully take an accurate B/P at home and why your B/P is often elevated in the doctor's office--because they often do NOT take it correctly. Take your B/P daily at home, same time every day and record it. You will see a pattern and also remember that what is "normal" for one person may not be acceptable for another--older people will have higher numbers because their arteries are not as resiliant as when they were younger. Watch videos on B/P information and learn about what is important and what is not helpful to worry about. Good Luck.

If your arm is such that YOU can't feel a pulse then how is the cuff gadgetry supposed to? Has you doctor been able to get a satisfactorily accurate BP for you in the conventional way?

@ehdog if you can check youtube. Type in how to properly take your blood pressure. Too tight is bad, too loose is bad. They make bigger cuffs for bigger arms, smaller for smaller arms. I believe in home Blood pressure readings thruout the day. It changes. Doctors take it once, after you've sat in office for possible 30 to 45 minutes waiting. They talk to youvl while taking it. They don't line up tube with arteries. Those mistakes can cause a bad diagnoses. Youtube will show you proper way. Or go to your pharmacy. Sometimes they will show you. And if it hurts when it's pumping up its to small or too tight. Good luck!

@sjm46 That is what confuses me. I have heard what you wrote - I have seen a few articles about it as well - but the standard is what it is - and doesn't seem to vary by age in general. I am 59 never had high BP until somewhere into my 40s, started meds in January, still trying to find something that is effective - the one I am on now might actually be but haven't measured in a bit over a week as apparently it takes time to work. Ironically I had a perfect coronary calcium scan 2 years ago, have always been slim/thin, etc. No changes other than - menopause, etc. Thank you for your post and the information! I hope the poster here finds helpful information. I have a very challenging time measuring at home.