Monitoring your blood pressure at home is an important way to manage your heart health. Whether you have high blood pressure (hypertension) or just want to keep track of your numbers, taking accurate readings can help both you and us make informed decisions.

Why Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Matters
High blood pressure often has no symptoms, but it increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health issues. Home monitoring can:

Help diagnose high blood pressure earlier
Track the effectiveness of lifestyle changes and medications
Reduce the effects of "white coat syndrome" (higher readings in a medical office)

Choosing the Right Blood Pressure Monitor
For best results, use an automatic, cuff-style monitor that fits around your upper arm. We recommend:

Omron 3 Series or above
Equate upper arm blood pressure monitor 4000 series,
Homemedics 500 Series Arm Blood Pressure Monitor with Voice

Wrist monitors, while more convenient, are less accurate

How to Measure Your Blood Pressure at Home
1. Rest for a few minutes before taking a reading. Sit in a quiet place with your feet flat on the floor and your back supported.

2. Position Yourself Correctly
Rest your arm on a flat surface (like a table) with your upper arm supported at heart level.
The cuff should be snug but not too tight—you should be able to fit one fingertip under it.
Place the cuff directly on bare skin, not over clothing.

3. Take the Measurement
Press the start button and stay still while the monitor inflates and deflates.
Do not talk or use your phone during the measurement.

4. Keep a Blood Pressure Log- IMPORTANT!!
Write down the date, time, and both numbers (systolic/diastolic) as well as heart rate. Measure at the same times each day, such as in the morning and evening. Share your readings with us by sending it to dcmedvitals@gmail.com

Understanding Your Readings
Category Systolic (Top #) Diastolic (Bottom #)
Normal Less than 120 Less than 80
Elevated 120-129 Less than 80
High Blood Pressure (Stage 1) 130-139 80-89
High Blood Pressure (Stage 2) 140 or higher 90 or higher
Hypertensive Crisis Higher than 180 Higher than 120

If you ever get a reading of 180/120 or higher, wait five minutes and check again.

In order to help our patients get into the habit of measuring their blood pressure at home we are running a brief giveaway. If a patient submits a log of 16 readings or more for any calendar month you will receive a free Dunkin Donuts card from us!!

Let's work together to avoid the silent killer!