Monitoring blood pressure

Blood pressure has to be very high before it causes symptoms such as headaches. Most people cannot tell when their blood pressure is high or whether their blood pressure medication is working. The only reliable way of knowing your blood pressure is to measure it.

Using a blood pressure monitor

Blood pressure is measured by an instrument known as a sphygmomanometer and is expressed in units of millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Many renal units supply blood pressure monitors to kidney patients for use at home.

Two readings are taken. The first gives the pressure of blood when the heart squeezes, the systolic blood pressure. The second gives the pressure of the blood when the heart is relaxed, the diastolic blood pressure. Systolic pressure is always higher than the diastolic pressure.

A typical blood pressure reading of 140/80 mm Hg means that the systolic pressure is 140 mm Hg and the diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg.

Recommended blood pressure

Both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure rise naturally as people get older. The recommended healthy blood pressure, accepted by most doctors is: