Jim J asked:
Probably a dumb questions, but I have just discovered my BP is a little high. I have one of those monitors for home use. I have been monitoring mine about every 15 minutes all day long. I’m curious to know if this is bad for the arm, circulation etc? My arm feels sort of wierd having squeezed it all day long every 15 minutes?
Probably a dumb questions, but I have just discovered my BP is a little high. I have one of those monitors for home use. I have been monitoring mine about every 15 minutes all day long. I’m curious to know if this is bad for the arm, circulation etc? My arm feels sort of wierd having squeezed it all day long every 15 minutes?
Also, the device I have at home is an older one from the 1980s. What is a new home use monitor that is recommended and highly accurate?
Thanks
well you never check the same arm more than twice within 5 minutes. But I think you only need to do it once an hour. Maybe try lying down in the dark for 10 minutes then checking it. It should have gone down by then. Thats what we do for out patients.
Unless it is required for medical reasons, the blood pressure is usually checked once in a four hour period. Sometimes once an hour. During surgery it is checked all the time. You will find that if you check your blood pressure at hourly intervals for the first day, and keep a check on your diet and activity, then do the same on the following day but at four hourly intervals, you will be able to assess the relation between your diet and physical exertion and your blood pressure. If this is satisfactory, you may then check it at six hourly intervals and finally, once a day.
If you continue to apply a constricting pressure to your arm it is possible that you might cause some tissue damage that would include in bruising.
There are many devices on the market, for both blood pressure and those combining pulse etc. You would be advised to ask at your local pharmacist for advice in this regard.
Hope this helps
matador 89
In surgery, the BP is often checked every 2-3 minutes for hours. 4-6 or more hours of that has never been seen to result in any problems. No bruises, etc. Tourniquets are used also. They are left inflated for 1 1/2 to 2 hours at a time with no problems. Longer than 2 hours could start seeing nerve damage or muscle damage.