The Right Way to Use a Blood Pressure Monitor

A 2010 systematic review from the independent Cochrane Collaboration found that self-monitoring led to lower systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) numbers in people with high blood pressure. Your doctor may also recommend a home monitor to help diagnose hypertension in the first place because some people’s levels in the doctor’s office are different from those in everyday life.

For example, some people may experience white coat hypertension or masked hypertension—where their in-office BP reads higher or lower, respectively, than in daily life. 

If you have diagnosed or suspected high blood pressure or you take hypertension medication, a home monitor can help by giving you information on your day-to-day levels.

Here’s what to know from Susan Booth, who leads CR’s blood pressure monitor testing, and from the American Heart Association (AHA), about how to pick the right monitor for you and how to use it properly. 

To reveal each tip, click or hover your cursor over the dots (or tap on a mobile device) on the illustration below.