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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 pro-
duce 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.
UA705 6/3/05 12:47 PM Page 19
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