Record Blood Pressure Readings
If you have been asked to record blood pressure readings you have taken at home, you can do so below using our online blood pressure diary.
You will be asked to provide your systolic (maximum) and diastolic (minimum) readings in the morning and evening, for 7 days. This means you should enter a total of 28 individual readings (numbers), and 14 pairs of systolic/diastolic readings.
Please fill in the diary when you have obtained all your required readings—you can enter all of them in one go.
Once you record all your readings and send them to us, a member of our clinical team will review them and contact you by phone or by text if we need to make any changes to your medication.
These steps apply to most clinically-validated blood pressure monitors. Individual monitor settings may vary.
- In order to take an accurate blood pressure reading, make sure that you’re resting and that you’re not feeling anxious or stressed.
- Sit upright in a chair with your back comfortably positioned against the back of the chair, and place your feet flat on the floor.
- Rest your arm on a table or any flat surface. Make sure your hand and arm are relaxed. Do not clench your fist.
- Place the cuff over your upper arm and tighten the cuff over your arm, making sure you can fit two fingers underneath the cuff. You want the cuff to be over the upper part of your arm with the tubing leading down the centre or slightly to the right of your arm. Once you’ve positioned your arm correctly and put on the cuff, make sure to relax your body and to keep still and quiet, otherwise the accuracy of your reading might be affected.
- Whenever you’re ready, press the “on” button, followed by the “start” button. You’ll feel the cuff inflate quite rapidly. You may also feel slight discomfort as the cuff inflates and deflates automatically, but this will only be for a short period of time. If it becomes too uncomfortable for you, just press the “stop” button and the cuff will instantly deflate.
- Once you get your reading, record it.
- (Optional) Wait 5–10 minutes, then take your blood pressure again by repeating steps 2 to 6. This helps to make sure the readings you get are similar and accurate, and is especially useful if this is your first time taking your own blood pressure at home.
Blood pressure (BP) is given in two numbers:
- Systolic pressure – The pressure when your heart pushes blood out around your body
- Diastolic pressure – The pressure when your heart rests between beats and blood is pushed around your heart
The systolic pressure is always the highest number and it is always given first. For example, a blood pressure reading given as 120 over 80 or 120/80 means a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic pressure of 80.
A normal blood pressure reading is below 140/90, but if you have CVD, diabetes or kidney disease, your blood pressure should ideally be below 130/80.
You will need an at-home blood pressure monitor to take your own readings. If you don’t have one yet, you can find a wide range of clinically-validated blood pressure monitors at most pharmacies and online.
