There are many reasons for inaccurate blood pressure measurement. In addition to purchasing unqualified sphygmomanometer consumed by unorthodox manufacturers, the more common reason is that the blood pressure measurement is not standard, which is related to the person who measured it.

Mercury sphygmomanometer can still be seen in hospitals at present, but it was gradually exchanged by electronic sphygmomanometer.

Before using the mercury sphygmomanometer, certain professional training needs to be carried out, which is relatively accurate if it is properly used, but if there is no control of measurement skills, it will also present a large error. At the same time, the hospital will also regularly stop quality control on a regular basis.

But mercury is a heavy metal that poses serious harm to the human body and may cause environmental pollution. It has been gradually phased out and is no longer being consumed.

As for the family self blood pressure measurement we currently advocate, the mercury sphygmomanometer is generally not recommended, but the electronic sphygmomanometer is more recommended. It has certain advantages, such as: it is light, pollution-free, easy to carry and simple to operate.

However, simplicity does not mean lack of skills, and blood pressure measurement methods are still important.

The electronic sphygmomanometer in the market are very beautiful and diverse. We propose to use certified upper arm electronic sphygmomanometer. The international plans for the certification of electronic sphygmomanometer mainly include "ESH (European Hypertension Society), BHS (British Hypertension Society) and AAMI (American Association for Medical Device Testing)". All certified sphygmomanometer are qualified.

Generally, we do not recommend the use of wrist electronic sphygmomanometer. As research shows, compared with upper arm electronic sphygmomanometer, the error of wrist electronic sphygmomanometer will be larger. Of course, it can be used as an alternative measurement in certain special circumstances.

Family self-test blood pressure can assist us in observing the effectiveness of long-term blood pressure control, improving compliance with antihypertensive medication treatment, and identifying white coat hypertension, hidden hypertension, etc., which is helpful in the diagnosis and management of hypertension. This is also the recent introduction of high blood pressure guidelines in the United States and China.

So, what should we pay attention to when measuring blood pressure with an electronic sphygmomanometer?

Firstly, everyone should rest in a quiet state for at least 5 minutes and empty their bladder, which means they should go to the restroom and go to work lightly. Holding urine can affect the accuracy of blood pressure.

Remember not to speak, do not use mobile phones, and do not use electronic devices such as tablets when taking blood pressure.

What if blood pressure is measured after meals or exercise? At this point, you should rest for at least half an hour, then take a warm seat and measure in a quiet state. Remember to keep your blood pressure warm during the cold winter, and place your upper arm at the same level as your heart when taking measurements.

2. Choose suitable cuffs and use standard specifications for regular use. Of course, for thin friends or patients with larger arm circumference (>32 cm), large size airbag cuffs should be used to avoid measurement errors.

Which side is more accurate in measuring?

If you want to measure blood pressure for the first time, you should measure the blood pressure on the left and right sides. Later, you can mainly measure the side with higher blood pressure readings. Of course, if there is a big difference between the two sides, you should go to the hospital in time to clean up vascular lesions, such as subclavian artery stenosis.

4. For patients with initial hypertension or unstable blood pressure, blood pressure can be measured separately in the morning and evening every day, 2-3 times each time, and then uniform values can be taken and recorded in a notebook or blood pressure monitoring table, preferably for 7 consecutive days.

When measuring blood pressure, it is recommended to take at least two measurements, with a distance of 1-2 minutes between them. If the difference in systolic or diastolic blood pressure on both sides is ≤ 5 mmHg, the uniform value of the two measurements can be taken; If the difference is>5 mmHg, then the points should be measured again and the uniform value of three measurements should be taken. If the difference between the first measurement value and the subsequent one is too large. Then take the uniform value of the following two times.

Many friends ask me when is the best time to measure my blood pressure?

My suggestion is to self test sitting blood pressure at a relatively fixed time within 1 hour after waking up in the morning, before taking blood pressure medication and breakfast, and after urination. At night, it is recommended to measure blood pressure at least half an hour after dinner and before going to bed.

For friends with good blood pressure control, it is recommended to measure their blood pressure at least one day per week.

The blood pressure of our human body is not constant, but fluctuates all the time. Due to the sensitivity of the electronic sphygmomanometer, the value measured each time may be different, but only within a certain range, there is no problem. In fact, the mercury sphygmomanometer is the same.

With regard to local arrhythmia, such as rapid atrial fibrillation, the common household electronic sphygmomanometer may be biased. In fact, the mercury sphygmomanometer may also be misread in this situation. At this time, more measurements are required to reduce errors.

Therefore, the only thing you need to buy is a qualified upper arm electronic sphygmomanometer. Whether the measured blood pressure can be accurate or not, apart from the influence of some diseases, is the most important thing is whether the measurement can be standardized or not.