User Manual

E-14
ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE
Answers to Why Your Readings Are Different Between Home and
at the Doctor’s Office
Why are my readings different between home and at a doctor’s office?
Your blood pressure readings taken in a doctor’s office or hospital setting may be
elevated as a result of apprehension and anxiety. This response is known as white coat
hypertension.
When I bring my monitor to a doctor’s office, why do I get a different
measurement from my monitor to that taken by a doctor or nurse?
The healthcare professional may be using a different sized cuff. The size of the bladder
inside the cuff is critical for the accuracy of the measurement. This may give you a different
reading. A cuff too large will produce a reading that is lower than the correct blood pressure;
a cuff that is too small will produce a reading that is higher than the correct blood pressure.
There may also be other factors that can cause the difference in measurements.
Keys to Successful Monitoring:
Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day. We recommend that you are consistent
in your daily measurement routine:
• Measure at the same time every day.
• Sit in the same chair/position.
• Do not cross legs and keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Relax for 5 minutes before measurement.
• Use the correct cuff size to get an accurate reading.
• Sit still during measurement – no talking, eating or sudden
movements.
• Record your measurement in a logbook.