University of Pittsburgh logo

Blood Pressure

  Click here for some tips for Care Partners

TIPS FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES

High blood pressure can cause diabetes complications and increase the risk of heart disease, eye disease, and kidney disease. Healthy eating, medications, and physical activity can help bring high blood pressure down.

UNDERSTANDING THE NUMBERS

Blood pressure is the force of blood flow inside your blood vessels. For example, let's take a blood pressure reading of 120/80.

  • The first number is the pressure as your heart beats and pushes blood through the blood vessels. It is called systolic pressure. In our example, 120 is the systolic number.

  • The second number is the pressure when the vessels relax between heartbeats. It is called diastolic pressure. In our example, 80 is the diastolic number.

Healthy blood pressure is Pre-hypertension   is     High blood pressure or hypertension is

120 or lower

over

80 or lower

120-139

over

80-89

140 or higher

over

90 or higher

Click here to learn more about how LOW blood pressure affects your diabetes.

Click here to learn more about HIGH blood pressure affects your diabetes.

HOW TO CHECK BLOOD PRESSURE AT HOME

Note: If you have a pre-fitted cuff and can fit more than 2 fingers in your cuff and/or you can pull your pre-fitted cuff up and down your arm, call your healthcare professional to ask about getting your cuff refitted. A poor fit will result in inaccurate blood pressure readings.

HELPFUL HINTS

  • Take your blood pressure as often as a healthcare professional recommended. Take it around the same time each day.

  • Wait to take your blood pressure for at least a half-hour after smoking, drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages, eating, or exercising. They can affect your blood pressure numbers.

  • Empty your bladder and wait 5 – 10 minutes before you take the reading. A full bladder can raise your blood pressure.

  • Take your blood pressure medicines as usual, even if you are fasting for a blood test. A healthcare professional can measure your blood pressure with your usual medications in your system.

  • If your monitor gives you an error message or is not working properly, look at the user manual for help.

  HOW CARE PARTNERS CAN HELP

  • Remember, checking blood pressure can be a helpful way to detect blood pressure issues early. Problems with blood pressure monitors can often be solved by calling the toll-free number on the back of the monitor or by contacting the patient's healthcare professional

  • Talk to your partner through each step of checking their blood pressure to help them find out what step is causing them problems.

  • If the monitor is giving an error message or not working properly, you could help your partner replace the battery to see if that solves the issue.

  • If this issue is coming up repeatedly, your partner may want to discuss with it their healthcare professional.