Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
The best way to monitor your blood pressure is with a home monitor. Blood pressure varies from day to day and throughout the day. This means that it is better to take the average of a series of home blood pressure readings than taking a single reading in the surgery.
We recommend home blood pressure monitoring for anyone who needs to regularly monitor their blood pressure. This includes anyone with a diagnosis of Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), Diabetes, Stroke or TIA, heart disease, and Chronic Kidney Disease.
You can buy a good monitor for around £25 from a pharmacy or online. Before you buy, check that your monitor is on the list of officially validated monitors. You can find this list at bihsoc.org/bp-monitors/for-home-use/.
Blood pressure check in the surgery
If you cannot use a home monitor, book an appointment with a Nurse or HCA form if you need to arrange a blood pressure check.
We have an automatic blood pressure machine in the reception area at Cringleford Surgery
If you have taken a single blood pressure measurement yourself
If you have access to a blood pressure monitor and we have asked you for a single blood pressure reading, for example for a Pill Check, please ask reception.
Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Form
If you would prefer to not submit your blood pressure reading electronically you can download a form here.
Blood Pressure Review
Read This First
Before taking your blood pressure, please read the official guidance on how to measure your blood pressure correctly at BIHSOC: Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Explained
Record your blood pressure for 7 days in a row. On each day, record your blood pressure in the morning and in the evening. Morning means between 06:00 and noon and Evening means between 18:00 and midnight. On each occasion take at least 2 readings, leaving at least a minute between each. If the first two readings are very different, take 2 or 3 further readings.
You don’t need to record your heart rate more than once, unless you have been asked to.
You may find the BIHSOC: Home Blood Pressure Diary helpful for writing down your blood pressures as you go. Then use this form for sending your readings to us.