American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [335]
• Check your blood pressure at the same time every day.
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine for at least 30 minutes before checking your blood pressure.
• Relax in a quiet place for several minutes before beginning.
• Rest your arm on a tabletop at heart level.
• Press gently yet firmly with your fingertips on your inner elbow to find the pulse in the main artery in your arm.
• Wrap the cuff snugly around your upper arm. The cuff should extend from just below the armpit to just above the elbow.
• Place the gauge where you can easily read it.
• Place the bell of the stethoscope directly and firmly over the artery in your inner elbow.
• Place the earpieces of the stethoscope lightly in your ears.
• Look at the gauge and inflate the cuff to at least 30 mm Hg above your most recent systolic pressure (you should not hear a beating sound through the stethoscope at this time).
• Deflate the cuff slowly (about 2 mm Hg per second) by turning the release valve. Watch the gauge and listen closely.
• As soon as you hear a beating sound, record the number on the gauge. This is the systolic pressure.
• Continue deflating the cuff. As soon as the beating sound stops, record the number on the gauge. This is the diastolic pressure.
• Repeat the procedure to check for accuracy. Practice taking your blood pressure until you are confident and comfortable performing the procedure. If you have any problems, ask your doctor or a nurse to check to see that you are doing it properly. If you are using an electronic blood pressure monitor, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Take your medication exactly as your doctor prescribes it; follow his or her instructions carefully and completely. If you experience any unpleasant side effects, talk to your doctor right away. He or she will work with you to fine-tune your drug treatment program so that your blood pressure is controlled without unpleasant side effects. Never change the dosage or stop taking any medication until your doctor tells you to do so. If the cost of your medication is a concern, ask your doctor or pharmacist if less expensive alternatives are available.
After your blood pressure is under control, you may be tempted to stop taking your medication. But keep in mind that there is no cure for essential hypertension and that normal blood pressure readings are a sign that the medication is working. If you stop taking it, your blood pressure will rise again.
Preventing High Blood Pressure
You can lower your risk of developing high blood pressure or lower existing high blood pressure by doing the following:
• Maintain a healthy weight. As your body weight increases, your blood pressure rises. Being overweight can make you more likely to develop high blood pressure than a person who is at a healthy weight (see page 11). You can reduce your risk of high blood pressure by losing weight. Even a small weight loss can reduce your risk significantly. And if you are overweight and already have hypertension, losing weight can help you lower your blood pressure.
• Exercise regularly. Regular exercise is an effective way to lose weight and control blood pressure. When combined with a healthy diet, regular exercise can help you lose more weight and keep it off longer than with either diet or exercise alone. Aerobic exercise—such as walking, cycling, swimming, stair-climbing, or jogging—helps improve the fitness of your heart, blood vessels, and lungs, which, in turn, helps lower your blood pressure and protect you against heart disease. (For more information on the health benefits of regular exercise, see page 45.)
The benefits of exercise
Regular aerobic exercise, such as step aerobics and jogging, and strength training, such as lifting weights, provide many health benefits—including protection against high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis. Regular exercise helps you condition your heart and lungs, improve your strength and endurance, and maintain a healthy