Monitoring your blood pressure at home with the help of your health care provider is an important part of improving your levels. Blood pressure measurements taken at home allow you to take more regular readings, track changes over time, and assist your provider in recommending appropriate lifestyle adjustments or drug treatment plans.
Some insurance policies, but not all, cover the cost of a blood pressure monitor for home use. Make sure to double-check coverage details with your insurance. You have alternative possibilities if the cost of a monitor isn’t covered:
- Inquire about a lending program for blood pressure monitors. For patients with prehypertension or high blood pressure, your provider or medical group may provide a free blood pressure monitor loan program. This allows you to borrow a blood pressure monitor for a set length of time, share your results with your doctor, make any required treatment changes, and then return it to be used by another patient.
- Using an FSA can help you save money. If your work offers a flexible spending account (FSA), you could be able to save a lot of money on a blood pressure monitor as well as other medical costs including co-pays, deductibles, and other medical/dental costs. What is the mechanism behind it? Before taxes are deducted, employees can set aside money from each paycheck to pay for certain medical bills that their insurance does not cover. Using your FSA to pay for a $50 blood pressure monitor, for example, can save you around $14 in taxes that would otherwise be withheld from your $50 in wages. Before you do anything, check with your employer to make sure your FSA options (including enrollment dates) and that blood pressure monitors are covered.
- Invest in a low-priced blood pressure monitor. Inquire with your doctor about low-cost blood pressure monitors that deliver precise readings. Your health-care providers are likely to be aware of various pricing points as well as which pharmacies or retail establishments offer the best deals. Also keep a look out for coupons!
- Consider alternatives to staying at home. If you’re reading this, you’re presumably interested in taking your blood pressure outside of the doctor’s office on a regular basis. Look into different options for getting your blood pressure checked on a regular basis outside of your home. Your doctor’s office, for example, may provide free or low-cost blood pressure readings without an appointment. Customers can also use free kiosks at numerous pharmacies and supermarket stores. Blood pressure monitors may be available for use at other community sites, such as your faith-based group or local gym. Simply keep note of all of your readings using paper and ink or an app.
All blood pressure monitors at home are not created equal. Check with your doctor or health-care team to ensure that your blood pressure monitor is accurate and that you understand how to take an accurate reading. After all, you don’t want to spend money on a system that doesn’t give you the information you need, do you?
Measure Up/Pressure Down provided the content for this article. The American Medical Group Foundation launched Measure Up/Pressure Down, a three-year national program to improve blood pressure regulation. Our pamphlet, Circulation Nation: Your Roadmap to Managing High Blood Pressure, will teach you how to minimize your risk and manage the disease.
Can a doctor write a prescribe for a blood pressure monitor?
Yes, internet doctors can write prescriptions for blood pressure medications. Bring information about your local or online pharmacy to your appointment. The prescription can be sent to your pharmacy, where you can pick it up.
Are blood pressure monitors free?
More than 200,000 people will receive free blood pressure monitors in an effort to prevent heart attacks and strokes. People with uncontrolled high blood pressure will be able to check their blood pressure at home with the help of 220,000 gadgets provided by the NHS.
Are doctor’s office blood pressure machines accurate?
Many blood pressure monitors are as accurate as those at your doctor’s office, but the more startling fact is that for many people, taking their blood pressure at home is a more accurate assessment of their actual blood pressure than taking it at the doctor’s office.
Can I get my blood pressure checked at CVS?
MinuteClinic providers are trained to measure and assess your blood pressure and to explain the meaning of your results. They can give you with a specific initial treatment plan if your diagnosis reveals high blood pressure.
Should I take my blood pressure medicine if my blood pressure is normal?
Question: Last year, my doctor put me on blood pressure medication, and my blood pressure is now normal. Is it possible for me to quit taking the medication?
So, what do we do when a person’s blood pressure is within normal limits? It’s great if a blood pressure medication takes your blood pressure back to normal; sadly, it doesn’t do so permanently, so you’ll have to keep taking it. Although physicians can often back-titrate a medicine to see if your blood pressure recovers to its normal readings as they become familiar with your pattern as a patient. There’s always a smidgeon of prudence in doing so; one thing we know about blood pressure is that we can’t completely eliminate it, but we can change its characteristics and reduce its severity with long-term treatment.
What is considered hypertensive crisis?
A hypertensive crisis is a dangerously high blood pressure that can result in a stroke. Blood vessels can be damaged by extremely high blood pressure, which has a peak number (systolic pressure) of 180 mm Hg or a bottom number (diastolic pressure) of 120 mm Hg or greater.
How long can you live with high BP?
The consequences of hypertension on blood arteries also affect non-vital organs: it can cause blindness or other eye disorders, as well as contribute to erectile dysfunction in males.
According to a 2005 study, those with normal blood pressure at 50 live roughly 5 years longer than those with hypertension. The study discovered that those with high blood pressure are more likely than individuals with normal blood pressure to develop cardiovascular disease and suffer heart attacks and strokes. According to the study, males with normal blood pressure should expect to live 5.1 years longer than those with hypertension, while women can expect to live additional 4.9 years.
High blood pressure is one of the most major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. The majority of the 10.4 million deaths caused by high blood pressure in 2016 were due to cardiovascular illness, such as heart attacks and heart failure. Stroke, kidney failure, and other circulatory illnesses were among the other causes. High blood pressure is responsible for around 54 percent of strokes and 47 percent of coronary artery heart disease worldwide.
Many of these premature hypertension-related fatalities may have been avoided. High blood pressure is a risk factor that may typically be managed with medication and a change in lifestyle.
How much is a home blood pressure monitor?
The home blood pressure monitor you select should be one that is perfect for you, not one that your friend or neighbor like. Check off these items on this wise shopper’s checklist:
Check to see if it fits. Your readings may be affected by an arm cuff that is the wrong size. Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist can advise you on the appropriate size.
It’s fine to be frugal. A $200 high-tech wireless monitor may not be better or more accurate than a model that costs much less. Many of the best blood pressure monitors range in price from $40 to $75. Check with your insurance carrier to see if they will cover it.
Consider the characteristics. Do you want more than one cuff? Do you require a device that can store data for several users? How about a big screen? These and other features are available on various models.
The ease with which it can be used. Some monitors may be easier to use and read than others. Before making a decision, try out a few.
Can a tight blood pressure cuff cause a high reading?
If the cuff you’re wearing is excessively tight, it could cause your skin to fold over and pinch. Not only that, but an ill-fitting cuff might cause error codes on your blood pressure monitor or inaccurate and often dangerously high blood pressure readings.