Take your blood pressure around same time daily.Do not talk while taking your blood pressure.Empty your bladder ahead of the blood pressure check.Choose a comfortable seat and sit 5 minutes before doing the reading.Place feet flat on the floor and rest your arm on a table or flat surface at chest height.Wait 30 minutes after eating or drinking before checking blood pressure.Nervousness, body position, smoking, food, or drink can give a false reading, so it is important to follow the below steps when measuring your own blood pressure: Blood pressure should always be taken while at rest. An accurate diagnosis requires multiple readings done on different days. High or low blood pressure cannot be diagnosed with a single reading. The diastolic reading is always lower than the systolic. This measurement is taken when the heart muscle is relaxed. The bottom number is known as the diastolic pressure. This measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart is contracting, or pumping. A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. With every heartbeat, blood is pumped into the vessels. What is Blood Pressure?īlood pressure is the force, or pressure, blood puts on the artery walls as it flows through them. For more frequent checks, you may want to purchase an affordable blood pressure cuff or electronic monitor designed for in-home use. Your primary care provider likely takes your blood pressure at every visit and some pharmacies have blood pressure machines available for customer use.

Testing can reveal high or low blood pressure as well as other problems, such as peripheral artery disease.

Regular blood pressure checks are important, especially as you age.

Blood pressure numbers offer some important clues about cardiovascular health.

Chart for blood pressure printable