How can you regularly monitor your blood pressure?

If you have been found to have high blood pressure readings, you were most likely advised to have regular checks. But what exactly are regular checks, and how and where can they be carried out?

Checking blood pressure at the doctor's office

The most obvious option at first glance is, of course, to have your blood pressure checked at the doctor's office. Blood pressure is usually measured there routinely. So you do get some monitoring of your values.

But: how often do you visit the doctor's office, and how frequently are blood pressure checks done there?

In general, this gives only a rough overview. Factors like anxiety during the visit or some stress can distort the values. In some cases the opposite can happen: a patient who is stressed in everyday life becomes calmer at the doctor's office and therefore shows different blood pressure values there than in daily life. Both have their own names: white coat hypertension and masked hypertension.

Long-term (ambulatory) monitoring

If the blood pressure measurement at the doctor's office suggests high blood pressure, a long-term blood pressure measurement is usually carried out. For this, the patient is fitted with a suitable device and takes it home. It automatically takes measurements during the wearing period and stores the results. The stored data are then read out and evaluated by the doctor.

This gives a fairly good picture of blood pressure during everyday life. However, there are limitations due to the device: not every physical activity is fully possible while wearing it, because the cuff inflates to measure blood pressure and the arm should be kept as still as possible. Also, the regular measurements at night can disturb sleep.

Despite these limitations, long-term blood pressure monitoring is an important test for diagnosing and managing high blood pressure. The temporary inconveniences should be accepted for the short duration of the examination.

Blood pressure checks at the pharmacy

Another option for having your blood pressure checked is at pharmacies.

Many pharmacies offer blood pressure measurement as a service. The procedure is similar to that at the doctor's office: after a short rest period, blood pressure is measured with an automatic blood pressure device or with a cuff and stethoscope. The values can then be noted on the spot or entered directly into an app for documentation.

But here too, factors like anxiety and stress can influence the results. In addition, having your blood pressure checked at either the doctor's office or the pharmacy requires you to go there first, and you may even need an appointment. So there is a certain amount of effort involved.

Advantages of home measurements

Measuring your blood pressure at home takes much less effort. All you need is a blood pressure monitor that suits your needs and physical condition. With it you can measure your blood pressure in your familiar environment and after the necessary rest. It's also possible to carry out regular, guideline-based measurements at home, which then create a meaningful trend curve. This makes it easy to track changes, such as the effect of a change in diet or lifestyle, or, of course, whether medication is working.

The advantages of home blood pressure measurement and using an app to document the readings are also described by the ESC/ESH in their guidelines. The data obtained this way are more reproducible and provide more information about hypertension-related damage than measurements taken only in the clinic.

This makes home blood pressure self-monitoring advantageous not only in terms of convenience. It is an excellent complement to measurements at the doctor's office and can provide significant added value.

Also, measurements taken at home in a calm and consistent setting eliminate factors such as white coat hypertension (higher blood pressure only in the doctor's office) or masked hypertension (blood pressure lower in the doctor's office than in everyday life).

In addition, people who monitor their own blood pressure tend to adhere better to the treatment plan agreed with their doctor.

Learn more about: When and how should I measure correctly?

Conclusion

Blood pressure can therefore be checked regularly in different ways and thus kept under observation. Measurements at the doctor's office and, as a rule, long-term blood pressure monitoring are essential for diagnosing high blood pressure. However, regular self-measurements at home can provide an early indication of excessively high blood pressure readings and, above all, clearly show how they change over time and how successful lifestyle changes or medication are.

The regularly self-measured blood pressure readings documented in the Tensana app can be clearly compiled into reports to take to checkups at the doctor's office. Depending on the individual course, this may eliminate the need for some long-term blood pressure measurements for monitoring.

Download the free Tensana app now and start optimally managing your blood pressure today.

Sources:

This article is from Tensana – the leading app since 2011, helping hundreds of thousands of people monitor their blood pressure every day. Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 11/2025).

Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.

We hope you found the article helpful. Accurate measurements are essential for good blood pressure control. Our app Tensana can help with that. Clear instructions walk you through taking measurements according to current guidelines. The app can also remind you if you wish. These features are fully available in the free version as well. Get the free app now.