AHA High Blood Pressure Toolkit-Pharmacists

8 Hypertension Guideline Toolkit for Pharmacists MEASURING AND MONITORING BP Self-Monitoring Patient self-monitoring of BP is an important focus of the 2017 guideline. It can help confirm the diagnosis of high BP. It also can help health care providers determine whether treatments are working. Patient training should be done under medical supervision, with focus on evaluating the device used in the home and providing detailed instructions for proper measurement. The American Heart Association recommends an automatic, cuff-style, bicep (upper arm) monitor. Be still. Don’t smoke, drink caffeinated beverages or exercise within 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Sit correctly. Sit with your back straight and supported (on a dining chair, rather than a sofa). Your feet should be flat on the floor and legs uncrossed. Ensure >5 minutes of quiet rest before blood pressure measurement with your left arm resting comfortable on a flat surface at the heart level. Place the bottom of the cuff above the bend in the elbow. Take at least two readings 1 minute apart in the morning before taking medications and in the evening before supper. Optimally, measure and record BP daily. Ideally, obtain weekly BP readings beginning two weeks after a change in the treatment regimen and during the week before a clinic visit. Take multiple readings and record the results. Each time you measure, take two or three readings 1 minute apart and record the results. Don’t take the measurements over clothes. To get the most accurate home measurement of blood pressure, follow these tips: Dispensing Advice Emphasize the importance of monitoring BP at home a nd encourage clients to use online resources to help ensure accurate measurements and tracking. Print this quick reference to help clients learn how to monitor their blood pressure at home.