Managing blood pressure at home the right way

Measure after sitting quietly for five minutes, back supported, feet flat, arm resting at heart level, cuff on bare skin. Take two readings a minute apart, morning and evening, and record the average rather than a single alarming value.

Readings consistently at or above 140/90 mmHg at home warrant a medical review; above 180/120 mmHg with headache, chest pain, breathlessness or visual change is an emergency — call 112.

The changes that move the numbers most are reducing added salt to under 5 g a day, 30 minutes of brisk walking on most days, losing 5–10% of body weight where relevant, limiting alcohol, stopping tobacco, and sleeping seven hours. Prescription medicines work best alongside these, not instead of them.

Never stop antihypertensive medication because readings normalise — that is usually a sign the treatment is working.