How do I correctly measure blood pressure at home?

The validated home blood pressure measurement protocol: (1) sit quietly for 5 minutes before measuring; (2) no caffeine, exercise, or smoking in the 30 minutes prior; (3) sit with back supported, feet flat on floor, arm supported at heart level; (4) use a validated oscillometric upper arm cuff (not wrist cuff), validated device list available at validatedbp.org; (5) take 3 readings 1 minute apart and average them; (6) measure in the morning before medications, and again in the evening, the average of morning and evening measurements is the most reliable home blood pressure estimate (Pickering et al., Hypertension, 2005).

Wrist blood pressure monitors are less accurate than upper arm cuffs and should not be used for clinical blood pressure monitoring. Readings taken while standing, talking, legs crossed, or within 30 minutes of activity are systematically inaccurate. The 5-minute rest requirement is the most frequently violated element of the home monitoring protocol and produces the most systematic over-reading of blood pressure.

Honesty Scale: Solid (1) for the AHA-validated home blood pressure measurement protocol.

What to do: Purchase a validated upper arm cuff (Omron 10 Series and Withings BPM Connect are validated examples). Follow the five-step protocol for every measurement. Keep a 7-day log (morning and evening) for your physician.

For the full picture, read The Blood Pressure Deep Dive