If you are looking to buy a home monitor, please see our advice below on how to choose one. Don’t worry about one-off high readings, it’s normal for your numbers to vary. If you notice a consistent rise in your blood pressure, contact your GP or practice nurse by phone and they will advise you if you need an appointment. There is no need to check your blood pressure more often unless your doctor or another health professional has advised you to do so. If you monitor your blood pressure at home, keep going as normal, whether that’s once a week or once a month, for example. Home monitoring during coronavirus (COVID-19) Many people also find that monitoring their blood pressure at home helps them feel more in control, so since 2001, NICE (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence) have recommended GPs offer home blood pressure monitoring. The stress of having your blood pressure measured in clinic can make your blood pressure go up temporarily, so your reading is higher than it should be – this is known as the white coat effect or white coat syndrome.Ĭoupled with the fact you can only check your blood pressure in a clinic every so often, keeping an eye on your numbers at home can give you and your doctor or nurse a more complete picture of what your blood pressure is like from day to day, and how well your treatments or lifestyle changes are working. Vist the hub to watch our 'how to measure your blood pressure at home' video, read our tips for how to use your home monitor, how to get the most from your monitor and download our home blood pressure monitoring resources. We have also created an online resource hub to help you manage and measure your blood pressure at home. Here we explain how home monitoring can be helpful and how to choose a monitor.

To make sure you get reliable readings, it’s important to use a monitor that’s suitable for you and that you know how to use it. Home blood pressure monitoring can be a really useful way of seeing what your blood pressure is like in your daily life.

Omron blood pressure chart printable