Blood pressure is the “force of blood flowing through your blood vessels,” according to the American Heart Association. It’s best to have your blood pressure checked by a health professional in order to know if you have high blood pressure or hypertension, which may be indicative of a potential health issue.
And when you do get checked, it’s crucial to have a correct reading to prevent possibly getting misdiagnosed.
It’s probably not your doctor’s fault. Blood pressure is temperamental. Lots of factors can result in an off measurement, meaning you can potentially end up with a misdiagnosis. “People might get overtreated or undertreated if their blood pressure isn’t measured correctly in the office,” says Jordana Cohen, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. In other words, you could be put on meds you don’t need or prescribed a dose higher or lower than necessary. Follow this blood pressure checklist to make sure you walk away with the right reading.
Thankfully, there are tips on how you can ensure your blood pressure reading is as accurate as possible before, during, and after a check-up. Read the original post here.
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