7 Blood Pressure Mistakes That Can Worse Your Readings

Several basic errors can degrade accuracy blood pressure readings for the people who host them at home.

Average “normal” blood pressure is 120/80, according to the American Heart Association.

Almost half of US adults have high blood pressure (systolic pressure between 120 and 19 and diastolic pressure less than 80). High blood pressure (hypertension, defined as a systolic pressure of 130 to 139 or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89) may increase your risk a heart attack and stroke if left untreated, according to the AHA.

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“It’s very common to have patients with bad data,” said Dr. Bradley Serwer, a Maryland cardiologist and chief medical officer of VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesia services to hospitals.

Average “normal” blood pressure is 120/80, according to the American Heart Association. (iStock)

“It’s important to follow proper standardized guidelines.”

A cardiologist shared with Fox News Digital the following common mistakes patients often make when monitoring their blood pressure.

1. Using the wrong hand position

Certain hand positions can lead to overestimated results and misdiagnosis of hypertension. This was confirmed by recent research from Johns Hopkins Medicine.

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People who put their hands on their knees increased the top number in their blood pressure reading (systolic pressure) by almost 4 mmHg. sl., while leaving the hand hanging on the side, increased it by almost 7 mm Hg.

For the majority accurate resultsrecommendations are to place your hand on a table or other hard surface at the same level as your heart, the Fox News Digital server said.

2. Improper seating

“The correct position is to sit straight, feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed, resting your hand on a flat surface level with your heart,” Server advised.

Studies have shown that certain hand positions can lead to inflated results and misdiagnosis of hypertension. (iStock)

3. Using the wrong type or size cuff

If the cuff is too big or small, the measurements will be abnormal, the cardiologist warns.

“Most blood pressure monitors use either an arm cuff or a wrist cuff,” he said. “Cuffs tend to be more accurate and require fewer steps to ensure accuracy.”

4. The cuff is not calibrated

The server said he usually asks all patients to bring their cuff home to the office, where he first takes the blood pressure manually and then uses the patient’s cuff.

“Then we can assess the accuracy of their cuffs,” he said.

5. Not enough time to balance

The most accurate results are obtained after sitting in a low stress environment within five minutes, Server noted.

“Know your blood pressure, even if you’re healthy.”

6. Drinking caffeine beforehand

“Avoid stimulants before taking your blood pressure, as caffeine raises it,” Server said.

7. Checking at different times of the day

When measuring blood pressure, the Server recommends checking it twice and waiting at least one minute between measurements.

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“Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day, so checking your blood pressure at the same time every day gives us a better trend,” he added.

The server also advises his patients to keep track of them blood pressure readings in a log.

“If the average value of blood pressure exceeds 130/80, it means that they have stage I hypertension and they should be examined by a doctor,” said the cardiologist. (iStock)

“If the average blood pressure is over 130/80, they have stage I hypertension and should be evaluated by a doctor,” he said.

“If their blood pressure is over 180/100 or if they have symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath or severe headachethey should seek immediate help.”

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Even if there are no symptoms other than high blood pressure, Serwer stresses that people shouldn’t wait until they have complications before treating their hypertension.

“Heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and peripheral vascular disease are often preventable with early intervention,” he said.

In most cases, lifestyle changes, such as improving your diet, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight, can help keep your blood pressure in a safe range, according to the AHA. (iStock)

“Know your blood pressure, even if you’re healthy.”

In most cases, introduction lifestyle changes for example, improving your diet, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight can help keep your blood pressure in a safe range, according to the AHA.

For more health articles visit www.foxnews.com/health

If necessary, the doctor can give recommendations for medicine for the treatment of hypertension unresponsive to lifestyle changes.