User manual PHILIPS HF306

[. . . ] Make sure that the bottom edge of the cuff is placed approx. 2-3 cm (1 inch) above the elbow If the cuff has been fastened too tightly or not tightly enough, there is a possibility that the measurement will be inaccurate. It is important that you sit down during the measurement and rest your forearm on a table. Keep the arm still during the measurement. [. . . ] Excitement or depression as a result of emotional stress have a clear effect on blood pressure. Blood pressure will be higher (or lower) than normal and the pulse will usually also be faster. - Make sure the measurement is not affected by tight clothes causing constricted blood vessels. - Do not eat, drink or smoke before you measure your blood pressure. alcoholic beverages in particular will influence the measurement. - Carry out the measurement every day at the same time, since your blood pressure fluctuates in the course of the day. - Do not attach too much importance to the results of a single measurement. Carrying out measurements regularly over a longer period of time and recording the results will give you a better insight into your blood pressure than a single measurement. After the `0' has been displayed for a few seconds, the cuff will inflate automatically. Note: The cuff should be fastened in such a way that the blue mark on the cuff is positioned over the main arteries in the upper arm. When the correct blood pressure has been reached, pressurisation is stopped and the measurement starts (1). Blood pressure fluctuation The blood pressure of healthy people, but especially that of people with high blood pressure, fluctuates greatly. Blood pressure fluctuates in the course of the day and in the course of the month. The season and the temperature also have an impact on blood pressure. Generally, a person's blood pressure is lower when the weather is hot and higher when it is cold. To give an example of the fluctuations in blood pressure that occur during the day, a graph showing the blood pressure of a 35-year-old man has been included. The blood pressure fluctuations may amount to 30 to 50 mmHg as a result of changing circumstances during the day. Normally, blood pressure will go up when a person is working or exercising and will drop to its lowest level during the hours of sleep. So there is no need to be alarmed if one measurement shows your blood pressure to be higher than usual. An incidental blood pressure measurement carried out by a doctor is not a true representation of your actual blood pressure. It is possible that a person's blood pressure is higher when it is measured by a doctor than it is when it is measured at home, because people tend to be somewhat tense during a visit to the doctor. This is why the pressure measured by doctors is often called `white coat' blood pressure. [. . . ] By always carrying out the measurement at the same time of day, external influences on blood pressure can be excluded as much as possible. If you want to gain insight into the daily fluctuations of your blood pressure, measure your blood pressure at several set points during the day. The risk of illness due to high blood pressure depends on all pressures that occur during the day, not only on the blood pressure you happen to have in the morning. Always write down the date and the time along with the blood pressure values measured. [. . . ]