• Taking a measurement immediately after smoking or drinking caffeinated beverages
• Taking a measurement while talking or moving your fingers
• Taking a measurement when you need to urinate
• Taking measurements in rapid succession
Factors that promote accurate blood pressure measurements
• Proper cuff position on the upper arm
• Proper cuff tightness
• No clothing under the cuff or restricting circulation above the cuff
• Proper posture: feet flat on the floor, back straight, legs uncrossed, arm resting on a
flat surface, upper arm at heart level
• Relaxing or sitting still for a few minutes after positioning the cuff and before taking
a blood pressure measurement
• Sitting still during measurement
• Not talking during measurement
• Waiting at least 3 minutes between measurements
Directions for use Measuring blood pressure 17