Blood pressure
Blood pressure monitor
Home readings, measured properly and averaged over a week, are a better guide than anything taken once in a clinic corridor. This works out that average for you.
No readings yet
Add a reading above. Two readings a minute apart, morning and evening, for seven days is the pattern your clinician will want — the app works out the average.
Measuring properly
- Sit still for 5 minutes first, feet flat on the floor, back supported.
- Rest your arm on a table so the cuff is level with your heart.
- Use the correct cuff size — too small a cuff reads falsely high.
- No caffeine, smoking or exercise for 30 minutes beforehand; empty your bladder first.
- Do not talk during the measurement.
- Take two readings a minute apart and record the second one.
- Measure at the same times each day — morning before medication, and evening.
Get help the same day if
- A repeated reading is 180/120 or above.
- You have chest pain, breathlessness, or pain spreading to the arm or jaw — call emergency services.
- Sudden weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty speaking, or a drooping face — call emergency services.
- A sudden severe headache unlike any you have had, or new vision changes.
- You feel faint or keep falling — low readings matter too.
A log, not a diagnosis. Never change a dose on the strength of these numbers — take the chart to your clinician instead. Diet moves blood pressure more than most people expect: see nutrition for high blood pressure.
Afya Companion offers education and self-help support. It does not diagnose, treat or replace care from your doctor, nurse, psychologist or dietitian. If something in your health changes, speak to your care team.