Taking BP correctly

[Dllfb]

I’ve been told that taking your bp as soon as you sit down is wrong....you should sit quietly for 10 or 15 minutes then take your bp and that’s the true reading. When I sit down and immediately...just from walking around the house..my bp reads about 155/84. After I sit for 10 minutes and take it again it’s 130/80. My kidney function (gfr) has been steadily going down these last couple of years and I’m concerned that it’s caused by my bp....when I’m up and about.! Any advice would be appreciated!

[Happyrosie]

You’re right, Dllfb. All the statistics on the numbers assume that the BP has been taken at rest.Just imagine you’re at home and need to get upstairs fast. If your BP stayed the same, you’d only get halfway up the stairs. The pressure is there for a purpose,

But to get accurate readings you need to sit quietly, preferably with the cuff already on. When ten minutes has passed, close your eyes and take three slow (not deep) breaths. Then take the reading.

If you haven’t already, take a look at the Blood Pressure UK website.

[Dllfb in reply to Happyrosie]

That’s what I read...how come when I go to the dr he takes my bp right away...no rest? Then it’s high. I think I was diagnosed wrongly.

[Happyrosie in reply to Dllfb]

You’ve been sitting quietly in the waiting room. He should then talk quietly to you for a few minutes before the reading. He should then throw away the first reading and take the next, or an average of the next three.

[Dllfb in reply to Happyrosie]

Certainly doesn’t happen there! That’s why I’m taking my own at home and recording it. Going for a second opinion to a walk in clinic tomorrow!

[peter999999999 in reply to Dllfb]

i went for a blood test the other month with a mask on trying to breathe, the nurse sat me down,did a bp test a tin on the shelf above, fell on my head and the nurse said its a bit high lol, told her that is not the way to do it and she asked what is at home then,told her she wrote that one down, i dont let them do it now i take my own readings in,

[Weejockmcplop]

I have been doing BP readings twice, morning and evening for the last 7 weeks.I take 4 readings within 10 to 15 mins and every single time my BP drops 10 to 12% from the 1st reading to the 4th. Also when I have had a bath in the evening it dropped nearer 17% . Beware though wait at least 1 to 2 hrs after your bath before taking your BP.

[Port01]

Hi, I can agree with everyone that you should sit quietly for a few minutes with the cuff fitted before taking a reading. I then wait a couple minutes between taking a second and third reading then average them out. I always find a drop between the first and second reading and sometimes even further for the third. If like me you wear hearing aids I find it helpful to switch them off whist doing my readings as this adds to the quiet. Hope that helps.

[Deary63 in reply to Port01]

I’ve just been told by my GP the same , to take the third reading ...funny how it’s drops each time ..😊

[SAMBO02]

I always take minimum of three readings within 20 mins interval. The first Immediately I sit down and this is to have a feeling of what a worse BP can be during the day. Practically all the time the difference between the 1st and third reading is >30 mmHg lower for systolic and between 5-10 mmHg lower for diastolic. However my diastolic BP always reduce after sufficient moderate exercise even if taken immediately after exercise and systolic pressure always increase after exercise but drops by more than > 50 mmHg ten minutes after exercise