Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be taken while taking a BP reading as follows:
- The patient should be seated comfortably, with back properly supported and legs uncrossed at the ankles. Improperly supported back and crossing of the legs can alter the readings significantly and result in inaccurate readings.
- Take your BP reading early in the morning, before starting your daily routine. This reading can be most accurate, as readings taken during later part of the day could be influenced heavily by the happenings during the day. Also, take your BP reading before you eat any breakfast or take any medications, as eating food and medication intake could alter the readings and compromise the accuracy.
- Individuals on dialysis must avoid the limb with dialysis port for BP recording. Inflating a cuff on the limb with dialysis port can result in compression and damage to the port.
- Individuals with history of mastectomy must avoid taking the BP reading on the arm, on the side of mastectomy. The lymph flow in the limb on the side of mastectomy can be sluggish and inflating BP cuff on that arm can increase the risk for lymphedema and swelling.
- Maintain a log of everyday BP and heart rate readings. You can carry your log to the doctor visits, as this allows an easy follow-up, suggestions & interventions, and medication changes, as appropriate.
