Blood pressure test
When should I get my blood pressure tested?
You can ask for a blood pressure test if you're worried about your blood pressure at any point.
You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including:
- at your local GP surgery
- at some pharmacies
- in some workplaces
- at home (see home blood pressure testing below)
- at an NHS Health Check appointment offered to adults in England aged 40-74
It's recommended that all adults over 40 years of age have their blood pressure tested at least every five years so any potential problems can be detected early.
If you've already been diagnosed with high or low blood pressure, or you're at a particularly high risk of these problems , you may need to have more frequent tests to monitor your blood pressure.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Find out when to get your blood pressure tested, how the test is done, and what your result means.
When should I get my blood pressure tested?
You can ask for a blood pressure test if you're worried about your blood pressure at any point. You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including: at your local GP surgery at
How blood pressure istested
Adevice called a sphygmomanometer will be used to measure your blood pressure. This usually consists of a stethoscope, arm cuff, pump and dial, although automatic devices thatuse sensors and have a d
Home blood pressure monitoring
Blood pressure tests can also be carried out at home using your own digital blood pressure monitor. This can give a better reflection of your blood pressure, as being tested in somewhere like a GP su
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
In some cases, your doctor may recommend 24-hour or ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). This is where your blood pressure is tested automatically around every 30 minutes over a 24-hour perio
Understanding your blood pressure reading
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and isgiven as two figures: systolic pressure the pressurewhen your heart pushes blood out diastolic pressure the pressure when your
Controlling yourblood pressure
If your blood pressure is found to be too high or too low,yourGP or the healthcare professional performing the test can advise you about ways to control it. This may involve: adoptinga healthy, bal
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