• Recent research (JAMA 2004) has provided good evidence that home blood pressure monitoring can be effective
• Your target blood pressure (BP) is 140/85
• Self monitoring of blood pressure can be as accurate as a reading taken by the Doctor or Nurse
• It can be done in the quiet and convenience of your home on a regular basis
• Buy a machine for use on your upper arm which should last you for many years, a reputable shop such as Boots can advise you. Alternatively the British Hypertension Society website has advice
• Ensure the cuff size is appropriate for your arm
• Once purchased make an appointment with the practice nurse to check on its function and accuracy
• Avoid tight clothing around your arm, support your arm at heart level and ensure your arm is relaxed
• We suggest that you take your BP once weekly and record your BP once per month on the BP record chart we have provided you with
• Avoid measuring your BP if you have drunk alcohol or coffee
• If a BP reading is high wait 5 minutes and then do another reading
• If this repeat BP is also high spend 5 minutes relaxing and then record a third reading
• If this third reading is high then check the BP every day for 5 days and if persistently high, book an appointment with the practice nurse
• This need not be an emergency appointment. No harm will be caused by a temporary high reading
• If your BP is stable you can use the repeat prescription request service as previously, depending upon the levels of your blood pressure figures we will often recommend 3 or 6 months
• When you come for your any checks please bring your chart and a urine sample
• More information regarding blood pressure is available at www.bpassoc.org.uk

Useful Websites

• British Hypertension Society
• Blood Pressure Association
• Stalbridge Surgery has prepared a list of useful websites for patients
• Online Medical Dictionary compiled by The CancerWEB Project.

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