High blood pressure (hypertension) happens when your blood presses intensely against the walls of your blood vessels, which can cause tiny pockets of damage. If hypertension isn’t treated, cholesterol can stick in these pockets, leading to a narrowing of your arteries (atherosclerosis). This in turn can cause serious health conditions and even death.
At the office of Samuel I. Fink, MD, an internist practicing out of Tarzana, California, we treat cases of hypertension and can teach you how to monitor your own blood pressure (BP) at home so we can customize your treatment.
A reading of your blood pressure at your doctor’s office can be different than one during your everyday activities. Some people tend to have high blood pressure spikes when at the doctor due to anxiety. Others may have regular blood pressure at the doctor, but high blood pressure that goes undetected at other times.
Monitoring your blood pressure at home helps us determine your average blood pressure. This information helps Dr. Fink:
Monitoring your blood pressure at home can also give you a sense of control over your medical treatment. However, you shouldn't be self-monitoring your blood pressure at home if you have an irregular heartbeat or other similar heart health issues, as they can make readings erratic.
To monitor your BP at home, you’ll need a high-quality, accurate at-home blood pressure cuff, preferably one with a digital monitor and an automatic cuff pressure inflator. Before you take your blood pressure, make sure you do the following for an accurate reading:
You’ll need to carefully follow the instructions from the monitor you purchased in order to get an accurate reading. To get a median blood pressure, aim to get 28 separate readings over the span of a week.
That means checking your blood pressure four times a day (twice in the morning and twice at night) to get a representative reading. During the day your blood pressure can vary based on different activities. Dr. Fink may ask you to test at different times and keep a journal.
You can have high blood pressure without any symptoms, which is why hypertension is called the “silent killer.” Monitoring your blood pressure at home as directed can help you catch issues early and avoid serious conditions like heart attack, stroke, or arterial disease.
If you haven’t had your blood pressure checked for some time, schedule an appointment with the practice of Samuel I. Fink, MD, by calling 818-609-0700 or using our online system to request a visit.
