What goes in a home first-aid kit
A checklist for Kolkata homes, and how to keep it useful.
How to measure your blood pressure at home
Sit, wait, wrap the cuff right and write it down. Small steps that make readings useful.
A home blood pressure monitor is only as useful as the way it is used. Our pharmacists show customers this at the counter every day. Here is the short version; always follow your doctor’s advice on how often to measure.
Avoid tea, coffee, smoking and exercise for 30 minutes before. Empty your bladder. Then sit on a chair with your back supported and both feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed, for five minutes without talking or looking at your phone.
Wrap the cuff on bare skin around your upper arm, about two fingers above the elbow crease, snug enough to slip one finger under. Rest your arm on a table so the cuff is at the level of your heart.
Press start and stay still and silent. Take two readings one minute apart, and write both down with the date and time. Many monitors store readings, but a notebook is easier to show your doctor.
Measure at the same times each day, usually morning and evening, as your doctor suggests. One high reading on its own is not a reason to worry; patterns over days are what matter. If you feel unwell, contact a doctor directly.
