According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every three adults has high blood pressure. This translates to around 75 million of the American Population. For these people, having their blood pressure at a health facility every once in a while might not be enough. In this post, we discuss 5 reasons why you may need blood pressure equipment at home.
1. It helps you track your blood pressure trends
Your blood pressure is directly affected by your day-to-day activities. Monitoring your blood pressure at home helps you identify specific blood pressure triggers.
2. A monitor will help detect and treat abnormal blood pressure promptly
On average, 1,000 Americans die daily from conditions that are primarily caused by high blood pressure. Such conditions include heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, and congestive heart failure. By monitoring your blood pressure at home, you have a higher chance of detecting abnormal blood pressure and treating it promptly.
3. It helps you know whether the administered treatment is effective
High blood pressure is normally as a result of ailments such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease. Your physician may want you to regularly take readings of your blood pressure to ensure that the medication and lifestyle changes they prescribe for such ailments are effective.
4. It helps you avoid the White Coat Syndrome
Some people’s blood pressure spikes when they have their reading’s taken by a doctor or a nurse. This is a condition called the ‘white coat syndrome.’ When this happens, the physician may think that your blood pressure is higher than it actually is and as a result, prescribe a higher dose. Using blood pressure equipment to monitor your blood pressure at home helps you avoid this.
5. It helps you gain control of your blood pressure
Taking your blood pressure at home is the beginning of a healthy lifestyle. By regularly tracking your blood pressure, you have a better understanding of how to regulate it.
How often should you take your blood pressure readings?
How often and when you should take your readings depends on how grave your blood pressure is. When you are starting, you may need to take your blood pressure readings at least 5 times a day. Once you have a better understanding of how to operate your blood pressure equipment, you can take the readings less often.
To maintain consistency, try taking the readings at the same time daily. For example, you may decide to take your readings every morning and evening. It is recommended that you take the readings before taking your medication as at this point, the medication levels in your body are lowest. This helps you know how well the last medication worked.
