Whether manual or aneroid, the equipment consists of a cuff, an attached pump, a stethoscope and a meter.
These devices require coordination. They are difficult to use if you have vision or hearing problems, or if you cannot perform the hand movements required to squeeze the vial and inflate the cuff.
When you are ready to take your blood pressure, sit quietly for three to five minutes beforehand.
To start, place the cuff on your bare upper arm, one inch (2.5 cm) above where you bend your elbow. Pull the end of the cuff tight so that it fits evenly around your arm. You want it tight enough that only two fingers fit under the top end of the cuff. Make sure it doesn't pinch your skin when the cuff inflates.
Once the cuff is in place, place the stethoscope dial face down under the cuff, just on the inside of your upper arm.
Next, place the earpieces of the stethoscope in your ears, facing forward, pointing toward the tip of your nose. Hold the gauge in the open palm of the hand that has the cuff on it so you can see it clearly.
Then squeeze the pump rapidly with your other hand until the gauge reads 30 points above your normal systolic pressure. (Be sure to inflate the cuff quickly.) Stop squeezing. Turn the pump knob toward you (counterclockwise) to slowly release the air.
Let the pressure drop 2 millimeters, or lines on the dial, per second while listening to the sound of your heart. Note the reading when you first hear a heartbeat. That's your systolic pressure.
Note when you no longer hear the heartbeat. That is your diastolic pressure.
Rest quietly and wait a minute or two before taking your blood pressure again. Record the numbers you take by writing them down or entering the information into an electronic personal health record.
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