Home Blood Pressure Is the Measurement That Predicts

Clinic readings capture one moment under stress. Home averages track outcomes more closely.

Blood pressure varies through the day and rises in clinical settings for a substantial minority of people. Averaged home readings correlate better with cardiovascular outcomes than single clinic readings.

Technique dominates the result: feet flat, back supported, arm at heart height, correct cuff size, no talking, five minutes of sitting first, and two readings a minute apart.

Measure twice daily for seven days, discard the first day, and average the rest. That protocol is what the guidelines were written around.

Bring the log to a clinician rather than adjusting anything yourself. Treatment decisions depend on the whole picture, not one week of numbers.

Editorial note: this article summarises published research for general information. It is not medical advice. Discuss any intervention with a qualified clinician.