Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Erik Kramer, DO, MPH and by How.com.vn staff writer, Dev Murphy, MA. Dr. Erik Kramer is a Board-Certified Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado. With over 15 years of experience, his clinical interests include obesity and weight management, diabetes care, and preventive care, as well as embracing a holistic approach to primary care. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at Central Maine Medical Center. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
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Your blood pressure measures the force your blood exerts on the sides of the blood vessels as it moves around your body and is an important indicator of your health. Blood pressure monitoring should be done with a cuff and a stethoscope—instruments that most people do not have at home, but are necessary for an accurate reading. If you want to check if your systolic blood pressure (the pressure inside your arteries when your heart is pumping) is normal, you can use your pulse for a rough estimate. Diastolic blood pressure (the pressure inside your arteries when your heart is resting between beats) must always be done with an arm cuff or stethoscope.[1]
Steps
Place your fingers on the inside of your wrist. The first step in estimating your systolic blood pressure is to locate your pulse. Your pulse will give you the basic information you need to estimate if your systolic blood pressure is relatively normal.[2] Keep in mind this is a very rough estimate and really only tells you if your systolic blood pressure is not low—it doesn't indicate high blood pressure.- Take two fingers, preferably your index and middle fingers, and place them just below the wrist creases on the thumb side of your hand.
- Don't use your thumb, as your thumb has a strong enough pulse to interfere with this process.
Notice your pulse. Once you’ve got your two fingers in the general area, see if you can feel your radial pulse—the shockwave generated by the beating of your heart. If you feel your pulse, this suggests that your systolic measurement is likely at least 80 mmHg.[3] This does not, however, give you any information as to whether or not your blood pressure is high. For most people, healthy blood pressure is about 120/80.[4]- Many medical experts believe a palpable radial pulse indicates a systolic blood pressure of at least 80 mmHg; however, this may not hold true of every person.[5]
- If you can’t find your pulse, even after applying more pressure, this may be indicative of health problems such as bradycardia.[6]
- Estimating your blood pressure without a cuff will give you no information about your diastolic pressure.
- Some studies have questioned the efficacy of estimating systolic pressure using your pulse.[7]
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Recheck your pulse after you’ve been moderately active. You should recheck your pulse later in the day to get an idea of how your pulse increases after some activity.[8] This will give you more information to determine whether your blood pressure is low, high, or normal.- If you don’t have a detectable pulse after moderate activity, there is a chance you could have low blood pressure.
- Consult your doctor if you suspect any irregularities.[9]
Understand that this is not an accurate way to check your blood pressure. While these apps are a great idea, the unfortunate news is that their results are not reliable [10] It is considered a "recreational" medical device and is not a legitimate medical instrument that records your blood pressure. Do not use one of these apps and assume that the information provided is accurate or valid.
Visit the app store on your smartphone. Make sure to visit the appropriate app store for your phone and operating system. At the app store, you’ll find a wide range of mobile health monitoring applications that offer many functions.- Type in “blood pressure monitor”
- View the different results.[11]
- Pick a few, select them, and read user reviews. When reading reviews, focus on ease of use and people’s general happiness with the app. If users have rated the app with 3 stars or below, look for another.
Download an application. After you’ve read some reviews about a couple of apps, you need to select one and download it. In order to download the app:- Press the “download” button on your smartphone. This button may vary based on your operating system.
- Be patient while the program downloads.
- Download speeds may vary based on your internet connection speed. To increase the speed, make sure to connect your phone to a wireless network. This will also help you save potential fees associated with data usage.
Use the application to read your blood pressure. Now that you’ve downloaded the app, you need to click on the icon that represents it. That will open the app. You’ll then want to use the app to measure your blood pressure. Just remember that these apps do not accurately read or measure blood pressure.[12]- If the app offers more diagnostics than blood pressure, select the blood pressure diagnostic option.
- Read the directions.
- Make sure your index finger is covering the camera on the back of the phone. The application will use photoelectric pulse wave signal stability information to calculate your blood pressure. This technology essentially analyzes your pulse, heart rate, and other information to arrive at health statistics.
- Hold your finger on the camera until the app tells you that its measurement is complete.
- Record the results.[13]
Familiarize yourself with target blood pressure results. Perhaps the most important things you need to know when measuring your blood pressure are key target levels. Without knowing your target levels, blood pressure results won’t tell you anything.- 120/80 and below are normal blood pressures for most people.[14]
- Between 120 – 129/<80 indicates prehypertension, or elevated blood pressure.[15] If you fall here, you should put more effort into adopting a healthy lifestyle.
- Between 130 – 139/80 – 89 indicates stage 1 hypertension.[16] If you fall here, you and your doctor need to consider a plan to lower your blood pressure. That plan may include medication.
- 140-159/90-99 or higher indicates stage 2 hypertension. If you fall here, you will almost certainly need to take blood pressure medication.[17]
Use a cuff to get a baseline reading. Since cuffless technology is in its infancy, you should take a reading of your blood pressure with an arm cuff before you start taking readings at home without a cuff.[18]- Have your blood pressure read at your annual or semi-annual physical.
- Visit a drugstore or other location that has a blood pressure reading machine available for public use.
- Compare any measurements you take at home with your baseline measurement.
- Record your baseline measurements and home measurements so you have a record of your blood pressure over time.[19]
- While you can use a wrist cuff to measure your blood pressure, it’s much less accurate than an arm cuff.
Consult your physician. If you have any concerns about your blood pressure level, you should contact and consult your physician. Your physician will be able to make recommendations about how you can improve your blood pressure or treat high or low blood pressure.[20]- If your blood pressure is high, your doctor will probably prescribe medication to lower it.
- Your doctor may recommend a diet or exercise routine.
Exercise regularly to lower your blood pressure. One of the best ways to improve your blood pressure is to exercise regularly. By exercising regularly, you’ll improve your cardiovascular system and get your heart in better shape.[21]- Focus on cardio activities like cycling, running, or power walking.
- Make sure not to overexert yourself.
- Consult your doctor before adopting any serious exercise regimen, especially if you have blood pressure problems.
Change your diet to lower your high blood pressure. If you struggle with high blood pressure, you can make certain modifications to your diet to help:[22]- Lower your sodium intake. Make sure to keep your sodium intake below 2,300 milligrams a day.[23]
- Eat six to eight servings a day of whole grains. Whole grains have a lot of fiber and can help lower your blood pressure.[24]
- Eat four to five servings each of fruits and vegetables a day to lower your blood pressure.
- Cut back on fatty meats and limit dairy consumption to lower your blood pressure.
- For lower blood pressure, limit your sugar intake to five servings a week or less.
Consider other dietary changes if you have low blood pressure. Make a few adjustments to your diet to help raise your blood pressure into a healthy range.- Increase your sodium intake if your blood pressure is low.[25] Try to consume at least 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day.
- Drink more water if your blood pressure is low.
- Wear compression stockings to improve blood flow from the legs to the heart.
- Talk to your doctor about medications that can help raise your blood pressure.
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3087253/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17062-heart--blood-vessels-simple-clues-to-your-heart
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542175/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17062-heart--blood-vessels-simple-clues-to-your-heart
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542175/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bradycardia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355474
- ↑ http://www.ebme.co.uk/articles/clinical-engineering/70-noninvasive-blood-pressure-measurement
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/accidents-first-aid-and-treatments/how-do-i-check-my-pulse/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6599661
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30977739/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30977739/
- ↑ https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.19685
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1291379/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24502-prehypertension
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/blood-pressure/art-20050982
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/blood-pressure/art-20050982
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/blood-pressure/art-20050982
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20047889
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/measure.htm
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/blood-pressure/art-20050982
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045206
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20048456
- ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/low-sodium-diet-and-lifestyle-changes-for-high-blood-pressure
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20048456
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355470
About This Article
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
Although you can’t accurately check your blood pressure without a cuff, you can estimate whether your blood pressure is below or above 80 by taking your pulse. Place two fingers on your wrist and check for a pulse. If you feel a pulse, this means that your systolic measurement is probably above 80, since a lower blood pressure wouldn’t reach the artery in your wrist. Your systolic measurement reflects the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. Even if you can’t feel a pulse, this doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with your blood pressure. You should also take your pulse again after moderate activity to see if it's increased. If you don’t have a detectable pulse after moderate activity, there is a chance you could have low blood pressure. However, the only way to test for sure is with a cuff. For more tips, including how to improve your blood pressure, read on.
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