Blood Pressure

Frequently Asked Questions

On blood pressure measurements

24-hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurement is the “Gold Standard”. This may however at times be difficult to perform.

How should I measure my blood pressure at home?

We recommend measuring your blood pressure when you are nice and relaxed (given that pain, discomfort and anxiety may falsely elevate your blood pressure).
Ideally, measure your blood pressure 6 times, discard the first and average the last 5 readings. This method has a closer correlation with 24h Ambulatory blood pressure measurements.
If this is difficult it would be acceptable to measure your BP 5 times in a row and record the last 2 readings.

How often should I measure my blood pressure?

It would be useful to measure it once a day for 7 days prior to your appointment with your GP or your cardiologist.
If you record these in a “Blood pressure diary” it is often very helpful for the treating doctor.
If your blood pressure is stable, there is no particular need to check it more than once per week.

What should my ideal blood pressure be?

We should be aiming for a resting blood pressure to be less than 130/80mmHg.

How can I lower my blood pressure without medications?

These factors can help to lower blood pressure:

Regular exercise
DASH diet
Weight loss,
Alcohol reduction
Drinking Hibiscus Tea, Beet juice, Pomegranate juice, Cranberry juice (borderline evidence).
Trials (Dr Huang will be conducting a clinical trial in regarding Hot Baths for the Reduction of Hypertension) if this interests you please discuss this with him during a consultation.

Can I come off medications in the future?

Your blood pressure is a moving target. If you manage to MAXIMISE your lifestyle factors and your blood pressure becomes slightly lower than your target blood pressure, your doctor may at that point consider reducing or ceasing your blood pressure medications.