You check your blood pressure once and see 168/104
Your mind races straight to stroke.
Take the reading seriously, but do not diagnose yourself from one number.
Blood pressure can rise temporarily because you just exercised, drank coffee, felt anxious or talked while it was being measured. An incorrectly sized cuff can also give a misleading result.
Sit quietly for five minutes, keep your back supported, your feet flat and your bare arm resting at heart level. Do not talk.
Take two readings, one minute apart, and write down both numbers.
If repeated readings remain high, arrange a medical assessment. Your healthcare professional may ask you to monitor at home or use a device that records your blood pressure over 24 hours.
If your blood pressure is 180/120 or higher, wait one minute and check again. If it remains that high, contact a healthcare professional immediately.
If that reading comes with chest pain, difficulty breathing, weakness, numbness, vision changes or difficulty speaking, seek emergency care now.
One high reading is not usually a diagnosis.
It is also not a reading to ignore.
