Blood Pressure Measurement

• BPM - Frequently asked questions about blood pressure measurements

  What does my blood pressure value correspond to?

  Your blood pressure is measured by two numbers: 

  • The first corresponds to systole. This is when the heart contracts and ejects blood into the arteries.
  • The second corresponds to diastole. This is when the heart relaxes.
  • The unit of measurement of blood pressure is the millimeter of mercury (mmHg)

   

  Why do my blood pressure values ​​vary?

  Blood pressure is difficult to correctly define as it varies during the day and depends on your physical activity. That is why it is best to make a large number of measurements. 

  According to international guidelines, home blood pressure must be taken with two consecutive measurements at an interval of 1 to 2 minutes. These measurements must be repeated on at least 3 or 4 consecutive days and preferably for 7 consecutive days^1,2.

  Sources: 1 Parati G, Stergiou GS, Asmar R, Bilo G, de Leeuw P, Imai Y, et al. European Society of Hypertension practice guidelines for home blood pressure monitoring. J Hum Hypertens 2010; 24:779–785. - 2 Parati G, Stergiou GS, Asmar R, Bilo G, de Leeuw P, Imai Y, et al., European Society of Hypertension Working Group on Blood Pressure Monitoring. European Society of Hypertension guidelines for blood pressure monitoring at home: a summary report of the Second International Consensus Conference on Home Blood Pressure Monitoring. J Hypertens 2008; 26:1505–1526. 

  Click here to have more information about the best practices.

   

  What is the point of taking my blood pressure at home?

  Home blood pressure measurements are more representative of a person's actual blood pressure which varies throughout the day, depending on physical activity. It is therefore necessary to take several measurements to obtain a reliable and representative mean value of a person's actual blood pressure.

  In addition, the home blood pressure reading is a better predictor of mortality and cardiovascular morbidity that blood pressure measurements made in the doctor's office^1,2.

  Note however that self-measurement is not recommended in patients with arrhythmias as this causes erroneous measurements of blood pressure.

  Sources: 1 Stergiou GS, Siontis KC, Ioannidis JP. Home blood pressure as a cardiovascular outcome predictor: it’s time to take this method seriously. Hypertension 2010; 55:1301–1303. - 2 Ward AM, Takahashi O, Stevens R, Heneghan C. Home measurement of blood pressure and cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. J Hypertens 2012; 30:449-456.

   

  Why is there a difference between the blood pressure measurements taken by my doctor and those taken at home?

  Scientific studies show that the average blood pressure is higher when measured by a health professional than when taken at home¹. There are therefore two normal values ​​of blood pressure depending on whether the blood pressure is measured at home or in the doctor's office.

  When your blood pressure is higher in the office than at home, this is called "white coat hypertension" or "white coat effect". In general, this effect is more frequent in the elderly, in female subjects and in nonsmokers^1,2. This phenomenon is not particularly harmful to health, but it may lead to misdiagnosis of hypertension and cause overdosing of drugs.

  Conversely, when your blood pressure measured at home is higher than in the doctor's office, we speak of "masked hypertension". Several factors can cause this phenomenon: young age, male gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, anxiety, work stress, obesity, diabetes or a family history of hypertension ³. Unlike the "white coat effect" this situation presents a risk to health and it is important to talk about it with your doctor if you are concerned.

  Sources: 1 Staessen JA, O’Brien ET, Amery AK, Atkins N, Baumgart P, De Cort P, et al. Ambulatory blood pressure in normotensive and hypertensive subjects: results from an international database. J Hypertens Suppl 1994; 12:S1–12. - 2 Dolan E, Stanton A, Atkins N, Den Hond E, Thijs L, McCormack P, et al. Determinants of white-coat hypertension. Blood Press Monit 2004; 9:307–309. - 3 Bobrie G, Clerson P, Menard J, Postel-Vinay N, Chatellier G, Plouin PF. Masked hypertension: a systematic review. J Hypertens 2008; 26:1715–1725.

   

  When is the best time to track my blood pressure?

  At home, blood pressure measurements should be done in the morning before breakfast (and before any medication) or in the evening before bedtime.

  Follow the instructions that appear when you use your blood pressure monitor for a step by step guide on how to correctly measure your blood pressure.

  Source: Parati G, Stergiou GS, Asmar R, Bilo G, de Leeuw P, Imai Y, et al. European Society of Hypertension practice guidelines for home blood pressure monitoring. J Hum Hypertens 2010; 24:779–785.

• BPM - Frequently asked questions about hypertension

  What is high blood pressure (hypertension)?

  The threshold for the definition of high blood pressure is different for values recorded at home or in the doctor's office.

  At home, your blood pressure is considered normal when the average of your measurements is less than 135/85 mmHg.

  Your blood pressure measured by your doctor or pharmacist is considered normal when it is below 140/90 mmHg.

  When it exceeds these values ​​it is called hypertension.

  Hypertension is the most common chronic disease in the world. It is one of the major cardiovascular risk factors. In addition, it causes anomalies and stiffening of the arterial walls due to the permanent mechanical pressure exerted on them. Chronic hypertension increases the risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, kidney failure and cognitive disorders. 

  Your doctor's or pharmacist's opinion is primordial to tell you if your blood pressure is satisfactory or not.

  Source: 2013 Guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology.

   

  How do I know if I have high blood pressure?

  High blood pressure is often "silent" with no symptoms therefore many people have hypertension without knowing it. Its measurement and monitoring may therefore provide a real benefit as they make it possible to detect high blood pressure earlier, before the onset of complications.

  However, some signs may be present and alert to the risk of high blood pressure. These include a constant headache or a severe headache in the morning, dizziness, blurred vision, palpitations, sweating and even nosebleed.

  Self-measurement of blood pressure at home can be a useful tool for the screening and monitoring of high blood pressure. Remember, at home, your blood pressure is considered normal when the average of your measurements is less than 135/85 mmHg. 

  Source: 2013 Guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology.

   

  What causes high blood pressure?

  Hypertension is usually "essential" i.e. it has no known cause. However, certain risk factors are linked to its onset such as age which is associated with a decrease in the elasticity of the arteries. Other risk factors include excess body weight, sedentary lifestyle or diet.

  In 10% of cases, high blood pressure is called "secondary" as it is caused by another disease such as a kidney, adrenal gland, neurovascular or hormonal disorder.

  Finally, in rare cases, high blood pressure can have a genetic cause.

  Source: Website of the French Medical Research Institute (Inserm) http://www.inserm.fr/thematiques/circulation-metabolisme-nutrition/dossiers-d-information/hypertension-arterielle

   

  How to lower my blood pressure or prevent the onset of high blood pressure?

  Besides drug therapy, certain lifestyle changes can help you reduce your blood pressure.

  Examples of lifestyle changes to help you control blood pressure: 

  • reduce your intake of salt, alcohol and foods high in fat,
  • lose weight if you are overweight,
  • stop smoking,
  • increase your fruit and vegetable consumption,
  • take regular exercise.

  Source: 2013 Guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology.

• BPM - How should I position myself to take a measurement?

  Make sure you follow these guidelines when taking a measurement. Failing to do so may lead to inaccurate results or cause the measurement to fail.

  Note that the device is designed to re-calibrate itself before each measurement.

  1. Sit down in a comfortable position.
     
  2. Rest for about five minutes.
  3. Wrap the inflatable band around your arm, 2 cm above the elbow.
     The metal tube should be on top of your arm.
     
  4. Place your arm on a table, slightly flexed and level with your heart.
     Make sure the cuff is not too loose or too tight. You should be able to insert two fingers between the cuff and your arm.
     
  5. Turn on your Nokia BPM.
     The Nokia Health Mate® app starts automatically.
     
  6. From the app, press the Start button to launch the measurement.
     

• BPM - Blood pressure color code

  US and Canada

  Classification of blood pressure levels recorded in a medical setting

  

  This classification is taken from the 2017 guidelines of the American Heart Association.

  This classification is based on the values of seated blood pressure measured in the office or hospital by a healthcare professional. 

  International guidelines suggest that the following blood pressure readings obtained by self-measurement (measurement taken at home) indicate high blood pressure: 

  • Systolic blood pressure ≥ 120 mmHg
  • Diastolic blood pressure ≥ 80 mmHg

  The color code of this classification is from the article "CoCo trial: Color-coded blood pressure Control, a randomized controlled study"

  European Union

  Classification of blood pressure levels recorded in a medical setting

  

  This classification is taken from the 2017 guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology.

  This classification is based on the values of seated blood pressure measured in the office or hospital by a healthcare professional. 

  International guidelines suggest that the following blood pressure readings obtained by self-measurement (measurement taken at home) indicate high blood pressure: 

  • Systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg
  • Diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mmHg

  The color code of this classification is from the article "CoCo trial: Color-coded blood pressure Control, a randomized controlled study"

• BPM - Enabling the automatic mode
  1. Position the Nokia BPM.
  2. Turn on the screen of your phone.
  3. Press the button of the Nokia BPM.
     The Health Mate app launches.
  4. Tap Advanced (3x) (Automatic mode).
     
  5. Select the delay between three automatic measurements.
  6. Tap Start.
     At the end of the measures, only the average of the 3 measurements will be displayed in your Timeline.
  7. Tap Next to pass through the tutorial.

  Note: Because of a requirement from the Food and Drug Administration, you will need to enable this setting each time you want to use the automatic mode.

• BPM - Taking a measurement anonymously or as another user
  1. Tap Measurement for if you want to take an anonymous measurement or take a measurement linked to another user profile.
     
  2. Tap Start.
     Make sure you stay as still as possible and avoid talking during the measurement. Any movement may impact your results.

• BPM - No data is synced with my account. What should I do?

  If no data is synced with your Nokia account, perform the following steps:

  1. Go to My devices in the Health Mate app and make sure your Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor is displayed.
     If not, you need to install it first.
  2. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your mobile device.
  3. If you have used multiple devices with your Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor, it will communicate with the last device it connected to. If that's the case:
     - Disable Bluetooth on the other device.
     - Go to the Bluetooth settings of your device and tap the name of your Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor to connect it.

  If you still encounter issues, reach out to Customer Service by clicking the Contact us button at the bottom of the page.