It is always advisable that you stay silent, seated, relaxed and calm when taking your blood pressure reading. Avoid taking the reading right after your meal as it will slightly lift up the reading. Make sure your arm is relaxed and at the level of the heart. Clenching your fist can elevate your blood pressure, hence, your fist should be relaxed. Avoid chewing gums and pushing against anything with either arm. No coffee, cigarette or over-the-counter drug which containing caffeine or phenylpropanolamine should be taken. Phenylpropanolamine is a medicine used to restrain appetite.

The blood pressure cuff should fit comfortably around the upper arm and just above the elbow. Also, it should be at your heart level and not hanging down low. Normally for the first time, doctor will take your pulse at the wrist. He or she will put one hand on your pulse while the other hand pumping up the blood pressure cuff. And the doctor will be continue pumping until the pressure has obliterated the pulse. Once it is above the systolic pressure, the doctor will let the pressure out of the cuff and listening for the first sound with the stethoscope.

It is recommended to measure your pressure in both arms. This is because there are some diseases causing the pressure to be different and hence, different pressure in both arms can be an important diagnostic clue. During your first visit, if encounter your blood pressure is raising up in both arms, it is advisable to measure for your both legs too. If it is low in the legs, a diagnosis of coarctation may be made. Coarctation is a localized narrowing of the aorta.

In order to combat hypertension, getting the right blood pressure reading is an important first step.