BP Monitor Mistakes After 50: 9 Reasons Your Home Reading Is Wrong
BP Monitor Mistakes After 50: 9 Reasons Your Home Reading Is Wrong Senior woman using an upper-arm BP cuff correctly with arm at heart level Your BP cuff says 160/95. Your GP says 130/80. Who’s right? After 50, 8 out of 10 home readings are wrong because of technique, not your heart. For seniors in the UK and US, that mistake can lead to extra pills, falls, or missed heart problems. The NHS and American Heart Association both agree: how you check matters more than the brand of cuff. The Real Cost of a Wrong Reading A false high reading can scare you into taking medication you don’t need. That causes dizziness, low BP, and falls. A false low reading can hide real hypertension. Over time, uncontrolled BP damages kidneys, eyes, and the brain. Many seniors over 50 blame “old age” when it’s just cuff size or arm position. One small fix can change your 7-day average by 15-20 points. That’s the difference between “normal” and “high” on your doctor’s chart. 9 Mistakes vs The Fi...