ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE
Answers to Why Your Readings are Different Between Home and at the Doctor’s Office
Why are my readings different between home and at a doctor’s office?
Your blood pressure readings taken in a doctor’s office or hospital setting may be elevated as a result of apprehension and anxiety. This response is known as white coat hypertension.
When I bring my monitor to a doctor’s office, why do I get a different measurement from my monitor to that taken by a doctor or nurse?
The healthcare professional may be using a different sized cuff. The size of the bladder inside the cuff is critical for the accuracy of the measurement. This may give you a different reading. A cuff too large will produce
a reading that is lower than the correct blood pressure; a cuff that is too small will produce a reading that is higher than the correct blood pressure. There may also be other factors that can cause the difference in measurements.
Keys to Successful Monitoring:
Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day. We recommend that you are consistent in your daily measurement routine:
•Measure at the same time every day.
•Sit in the same chair/position.
•Do not cross legs and keep your feet flat on the floor.
•Relax for 5 minutes before measurement.
•Use the correct cuff size to get an accurate reading.
•Sit still during measurement – no talking, eating or sudden movements.
•Record your measurement in a logbook.