Blood Pressure

You might already have access to a blood pressure monitor at home. It is important that your monitor is an arm cuff monitor and NOT a wrist monitor.

If you would like to purchase a blood pressure monitor they are available from many pharmacies or online shops. You might find this list of validated blood pressure machines useful to refer to.

Visit British and Irish Hypertension Society for a list of validated blood pressure monitoring machines.

Taking your blood pressure:

• It's best to sit down with your back supported and legs uncrossed.
• Roll up your sleeves or remove any long-sleeved clothing, so the cuff can be placed around your upper arm.
• Try to relax and avoid talking while you are doing the test.
• Hold out one of your arms so it's at roughly the same level as your heart, and the cuff is placed around it – your arm should be supported in this position, such as with a cushion or arm of a chair.
• The cuff will pump up to restrict the blood flow in your arm – this squeezing may feel a bit uncomfortable, but only lasts a few seconds.
• The pressure in the cuff is recorded at two points as the blood flow starts to return to your arm – these measurements are used to give your BP reading.
• Please submit your blood pressure reading to us - see below.

If your blood pressure reading is above your target blood pressure reading (135/85 for home readings) then we will ask you to complete a set of blood pressure readings over one week.

You will need to take a blood pressure reading every morning and every afternoon.

You will need to record the systolic reading (top number) and diastolic reading (bottom number) each time.

Make a note of these readings every morning and afternoon for 7 days. 

Once you've recorded your daily readings for 7 days you then need to calculate an average reading. There is a link under Step Four called 'calculate your average blood pressure reading’ that will help you to do this.

You can use the link below to calculate your average blood pressure reading.

• Enter your morning and evening readings for day one.
• Click the green button 'add a new day' and repeat this process until you have entered readings for seven days. 
• Once all 7 days readings are entered, click the green button 'calculate the average' to get your average reading.

NHS Blood Pressure Test

You can submit your average reading to us using our online form.

Submit your readings

If your average blood pressure reading is also above your target blood pressure reading then you will be invited to have an appointment with one of our titration nurses to discuss how to reduce your blood pressure through changes to your lifestyle. We will also consider changes to medication to help you reach your target blood pressure.