It is imperative that we measure our own blood pressure particularly because the blood pressure readings physicians take are not always accurate http://theconversation.com/why-we-should-measure-our-own-blood-pressure-53928. In fact, recent data indicates that patients get more accurate readings when they measure their own blood pressure. People with high clinic readings but normal home or 24-hour blood pressure readings are believed to have “white coat hypertension” which means that blood pressure is higher when it is taken in a medical setting than it is when taken at home due to nervousness. New research suggests that being a man, being overweight or smoking may predict those people who are more likely to have higher blood pressure readings at home. Throughout the day, blood pressure levels fluctuate and can easily change as a result of stress, physical activity and even talking and may result in an unexpectedly high reading. It is prudent to measure your blood pressure utilizing a monitor repeatedly throughout the day or week, and take an average of these readings.

Blood pressure level fluctuates with every heartbeat. The peak in pressure during the heart’s contraction phase is known as systole and the drop during the relaxation phase is known as diastole. Hypertension (high blood pressure) which affects approximately one in the three adults is typically defined as a systolic blood pressure of more than 140mmHg and/or a diastolic pressure of more than 90mmHg. Of note is that approximately one in every 33 women will develop hypertensive complications during pregnancy. Hypertension is often described as a “silent killer” because the majority of patients are asymptomatic. However, the implications of living with sustained high blood pressure are quite serious. It is one of the most prevalent risk factors for heart attack and stroke and women who experience hypertension during pregnancy can develop pre-eclampsia which, in rare cases, is associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal death. While the measurements taken by a doctor may not be perfect, in addition to measuring it yourself, this could be the first step to understanding your true underlying blood pressure level.