High blood pressure has become a global health concern as it leads to various other health issues. Gone are the days when people used to rush to the hospitals to check their health status. Talking about BP, it can now be checked at home, thanks to the availability of digital blood pressure monitors.
These devices make it easier for individuals to check their BP at home, both regularly and during emergencies. However, the only issue that may occur sometimes is inaccurate readings. Wondering why your blood pressure measurements show high at home? Well, it can be due to an issue with your BP machine. Furthermore, here is all that you need to know.
Can Blood Pressure Monitors be Inaccurate?
People with high blood pressure are increasingly being advised by professionals to check their BP at home daily. This device helps individuals keep track of their blood pressure levels between appointment visits. Knowing the BP status also encourages patients to take a more active interest in their health.
However, some individuals may also feel annoyed due to inaccurate results. Do you also get inaccurate readings often at home compared to in the healthcare setting? Wondering if your blood pressure monitor can be the reason behind getting inaccurate readings? Well, in some cases, this can be a possibility.
The high blood pressure monitor’s accuracy varies due to the device itself or the operator may be to blame for the BP error. Variations of 5 mm Hg are found between many home blood pressure monitors. For certain patients whose conditions require continuous blood pressure monitoring, these variations may be harmful. To maintain hygiene, you can use cuff barriers.
Why are Blood Pressure Measures Higher at Home?
Individuals who are not experienced or knowledgeable may find it difficult to get accurate readings. Is your blood pressure always high at home? Blaming your newly bought blood pressure machine? Well, it is not always how it seems as it may be because you checked it incorrectly. Also, there can be natural reasons such as you may feel less anxious at the medical office.
When your blood pressure readings are lower at the doctor’s office than they are at home, it is known as masked hypertension. This may happen because you may feel less stressed in your medical environment than at your home. Besides, when your blood pressure readings are higher at a doctor’s office than at home, it is known as white-coat hypertension. This may happen because you may feel increased worry and tension when in a healthcare setting.
For peace of mind, you can also bring your BP machine to your next appointment to get it checked by your healthcare team. While a member of your healthcare team may use office equipment to check your blood pressure in one arm, you may use your BP machine to check your blood pressure in the other arm.
Other Reasons for Inaccurate Blood Pressure Readings
Even if blood pressure is tested accurately and regularly, some people consistently have different readings outside the medical office. If your BP is always higher at home than those at a doctor’s office, you might be at risk for heart attack or stroke. This is when it becomes crucial to recognize the factors that contribute to such inaccuracies. So, let’s dive deeper into other reasons for inaccurate blood pressure readings:
- Incorrect Cuff Size
Is your cuff the perfect fitting size? To ensure your readings are accurate, make sure to choose the right cuff size. The correct size includes 80% bladder length and 40% width of the patient’s arm. Also, make sure the blood pressure cuff isn’t too tight. If confused about the size, a wise decision would be to seek advice from the knowledgeable staff before purchasing. Also, make sure to take proper care of your cuff by placing it in a cuff storage basket.
- Incorrect Calibration
Even if you perform all the procedures correctly, your results are likely to be inaccurate. Wonder why? It is because you haven’t calibrated your device by the manufacturer’s recommendations. For instance, if you don’t position the cuff precisely 90 degrees from your arm, you can get inaccurate results. Therefore, you must routinely monitor your device and some models need to be calibrated every few months.
- Improper Cuff Placement
In addition to improper cuff size, placing your cuff incorrectly may also give you wrong results. To get accurate results, place the cuff directly on the upper arm. Make sure it directly touches the skin and place the stethoscope at the elbow fold. Air spaces between the skin and the cuff provide extra inflation during the measuring procedure. This can result in falsely high readings if the cuff has too much slack. Moreover, measuring at different locations may result in inaccurate readings.
- Dead Batteries
Another reason why you may get inaccurate results is due to poor battery functioning or dead batteries. Make sure to replace batteries and keep an eye on your equipment and its maintenance. To protect your BPM from damage or to carry it at different places, you can use a carry pouch.
In addition to the cuff size, improper patient preparation, stressed environment, improper positioning or wrong measurement techniques can also lead to inaccurate blood pressure readings at home. Therefore, before using blood pressure monitors, it is recommended to look into the instructions.
Take Decisions on Accurate Readings
To ensure every individual gets accurate readings and maintains their health status, we offer reliable blood pressure monitors. As the best supplier of medical equipment, the professional team at MedGuard is your best partners. We cater to a wide range of industries such as care homes, healthcare settings and others as our products are reliable.
To ensure optimal performance, they undergo rigorous testing before being delivered to you. Whether in small quantities or bulk orders, you expect prompt service from us. Prioritizing quality, we offer high-quality products at affordable prices. For more, rely on our support team for top-notch customer service.
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