Tudor Lodge Surgery
High blood pressure rarely causes symptoms, but over time it strains your heart, brain and kidneys. Checking it at home gives us the clearest picture. This page shows you how, and works out your average for you.
What the numbers mean
These ranges are for averages taken at home. Readings at the surgery tend to be a little higher, so the limit for high blood pressure there is 140/90 rather than 135/85.
Often normal if you feel well. Tell us if you get dizzy or faint.
A healthy home average. Keep it up.
High blood pressure (stage 1). Send us your readings.
High blood pressure (stage 2). Send us your readings soon.
Re-check after 5 minutes’ rest. If still this high, contact us today.
If your top and bottom numbers fall in different ranges, go by the higher one. If you are already being treated for high blood pressure, we may give you a personal target.
Average calculator
Blood pressure goes up and down all day, so one high or one low reading does not tell us much. What we need is your average. Type in your readings below, for example 132/84, and the calculator does the rest. You do not need to fill every box.
| Day | Morning1st | Morning2nd | Evening1st | Evening2nd |
|---|
Take 2 readings 1 minute apart, morning and evening, for 4 to 7 days. Enter the top number, a slash, then the bottom number.
Your home average
Your average and what it means will appear here.
Copied. You can paste this into your message to us.
Your readings stay on your device. Nothing is sent to us or stored.
Why leave out day 1? People are often a bit tense when they first start checking, so the first day’s readings tend to be higher. Leaving them out gives a truer average.
Ups and downs are normal
Your blood pressure changes from minute to minute. It goes up when you rush, climb the stairs, feel stressed, drink coffee or even talk. It falls when you relax and is at its lowest while you sleep. Your heart rate rises and falls in the same way.
So a single high reading after a busy morning is not a reason to panic, and a single low one does not mean everything is fine. That is why we ask for all your readings, not just the highest or lowest.
A normal resting heart rate for adults is usually between 60 and 100 beats per minute. It is often lower in people who are very fit.
An example day for one person. All of these readings are normal for them.
Getting it right
Use the same arm each time. If one arm usually reads higher, use that arm.
When to get help
If you have a high reading and any of these:
If you get palpitations with chest pain, shortness of breath or fainting, call 999.
We can help
No booking
Use our patient pod without an appointment, from 8am until 6.30pm. It is in a quiet room behind reception, and the receptionist can direct you to it. Your results go straight into your medical record, so we can see them.
Free loan
Borrow one of our blood pressure machines for up to 7 days, for a £10 refundable deposit. Please bring £10 in cash, as we cannot take card payments for this. Each machine comes with clear instructions, including what to do if your readings are high. Use it to get a full week of morning and evening readings, then bring it back and we will return your £10. Ask at reception.
£15–£40
A good upper-arm monitor usually costs between £15 and £40. Ones with extras, such as an app or a heart rhythm check, cost more, but you do not need them. Choose one that is clinically validated (see the link below), and avoid wrist monitors.
If your upper arm is large, check the cuff size. Many monitors come with a cuff that fits arms up to 42cm.
Once you have your readings, use the calculator above and send us your average, along with all your readings, using GP Triage or by handing them in at reception.
More information
Based on NICE guideline NG136 and information from the NHS. General information for our patients; it does not replace advice about your own care.