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High blood pressure (hypertension) is often called a “silent” condition because it usually has no symptoms, yet it’s one of the most important risk factors for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. Checking your blood pressure at home — between doctor visits — is one of the most useful things you can do to understand and manage it.
A home blood pressure monitor is a tracking tool, not a diagnosis. Hypertension is diagnosed and treated by a clinician using readings over time. Never start, stop, or change blood pressure medication based on home readings alone.

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Why monitor blood pressure at home?

Blood pressure changes constantly throughout the day, so a single reading in a clinic is only a snapshot. Home monitoring captures a fuller, more representative picture and can reveal patterns a once-a-year office visit would miss — including white-coat and masked hypertension. Major medical organizations now encourage home monitoring because the data helps clinicians make better decisions and helps patients stay engaged in their own care.

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What do the numbers mean?

Blood pressure is written as two numbers, like 120/80 mm Hg. The top number (systolic) is the pressure as your heart beats; the bottom number (diastolic) is the pressure between beats. Both matter — see what a normal reading looks like for the full category breakdown, and when a reading is an emergency.

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How do I get an accurate reading?

Accuracy depends as much on technique as on the device: rest first, sit correctly, use the right cuff size, and take more than one reading. The full step-by-step is in our how-to-measure guide. Choosing the right device matters too — most clinicians recommend a validated upper-arm monitor over a wrist model.

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How a SonoHealth monitor fits

SonoHealth offers the BPpro and BPMAX upper-arm home blood pressure monitors, designed for simple, repeatable at-home readings. Used consistently and shared with your care team, a home monitor turns scattered numbers into a trend your doctor can act on. You can see both at SonoHealth.com.

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When to involve your doctor

Home readings support — but never replace — professional care. Contact your doctor if your readings are consistently high, if you see an irregular-heartbeat flag, or if anything changes. And treat a reading at or above 180/120 with symptoms as a medical emergency: call 911.
Related: Normal Blood Pressure Ranges · How to Measure at Home · When to Worry · Upper-Arm vs. Wrist · White-Coat Hypertension