How to use Blood Pressure Monitor?

Steps to use the blood pressure monitor

Following steps will help you take blood pressure readings using an upper arm blood pressure monitor:

1. Sit comfortably with feet remaining flat on the floor and parallel to each other. Relax your mind and body and stay still.

2. If you are wearing a watch or any jewellery on your hand, remove them before taking the reading.

3. Wear the blood pressure monitoring cuff around your left arm, about 2-3 cm above the elbow. It is ideal to rest your arm on a table-top.

4. The tube in the cuff should face the front centre of your arm.

5. Once the tube is placed correctly, pull the end of the cuff and tighten it around your arm.

6. When the cuff is in place, wait a minute and press the start button. Do not move or speak when the machine is measuring your blood pressure. The cuff will inflate and deflate in the process.

7. The monitor will measure your blood pressure and pulse, and display the readings on the digital panel.

A few tips

• If the blood pressure monitor does not record and display a reading, check the cuff and reposition it before trying again.

• If you check your blood pressure regularly, measure it at the same time every day.

• If you had tea, coffee or any other caffeinated beverage then wait for 30 minutes before you monitor your blood pressure.