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ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE
Answers to Why Your Readings Are Different
Between Home and at the Doctor’s Office
Why are my readings different between home and at a doctor’s
office?
Your blood pressure readings taken in a doctor’s office or hospital
setting may be elevated as a result of apprehension and anxiety. This
response is known as White Coat Hypertension.
When I bring my monitor to a doctor’s office, why do I get a
different measurement from my monitor to that taken by a doctor
or nurse?
The healthcare professional may be using a different sized cuff. The
size of the bladder inside the cuff is critical for the accuracy of the
measurement. This may give you a different reading. A cuff too large
will produce a reading that is lower than the correct blood pressure;
a cuff that is too small will produce a reading that is higher than the
correct blood pressure. There may also be other factors that can cause
the difference in measurements.
Keys to Successful Monitoring:
Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day. We recommend that
you are consistent in your daily measurement routine:
• Measure at the same time every day.
• Sit in the same chair/position.
• Do not cross legs and keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Relax for five minutes before measurement.
• Use the correct cuff size to get an accurate reading.
• Sit still during measurement – no talking, eating or sudden
movements.
• Record your measurement in a logbook.