High blood pressure is a common condition affecting people with diabetes. Treatment to control blood pressure is one of the essential components of multifactorial intervention for type 2 diabetes. However, it is well-known that blood pressure readings taken in hospitals or clinics can be significantly higher from blood pressure readings taken at home.
In order to assess the effectiveness of blood pressure-lowering treatment, people with high blood pressure are advised to monitor their blood pressure at home. Home blood pressure monitoring are often done with battery-powered oscillometric blood pressure devices, which are commonly sold in pharmacies. Some studies show that self-titration of blood pressure-lowering medications guided by home blood pressure monitoring can result in better blood pressure control, as compared to those who rely on clinic blood pressure for treatment adjustments.
Preparations
Before reading the blood pressure, a person needs to be relaxed and empty the bladder first. He or she should be sitting in a quiet room with arm and back supported. The feet should be flat on the floor and the legs should not be crossed.
The appropriate size of blood pressure cuff should cover 80% of the area from the shoulder to elbow. The cuff should be placed with the "artery" marking placed over the brachial artery (see image). The arm should be relaxed and supported on a surface so that the blood pressure cuff is at the same level as the heart.
Positioning of blood pressure cuff.
Monitoring Schedule
The American Heart Association recommends two blood pressure readings to be taken at least one minute apart in the morning and in the evening for 7 days (total of 28 readings). The average for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure should be calculated, and not estimated using the eyeballing method. Once blood pressure is stable and controlled, monitoring 1 to 3 days in a week is sufficient.