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By Mayo Clinic staffNo special preparations are needed for a blood pressure test. You might want to wear a short-sleeved shirt to your appointment so the nurse or technician doing your blood pressure test has easy access to your left arm to perform the test. However, if the main reason for your doctor's appointment is to check for or monitor high blood pressure, you should use the toilet before your test to empty your bladder, and avoid drinking caffeinated beverages, eating and smoking for one hour before your test.
Because some medications — such as over-the-counter cold medicines, antidepressants, birth control pills and others — can affect your blood pressure, it might be a good idea to take a list of medications and supplements you use to your doctor's appointment. Don't stop taking any prescription medications that you think may affect your blood pressure without your doctor's advice.
- Blood pressure testing and measurement. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4470. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
- Screening for high blood pressure. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf07/hbp/hbprs.htm. Accessed Feb. 5, 2010.
- High blood pressure. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_All.html. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
- Chobanian AV, et al. Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension. 2003;42:1206.
- Low blood pressure. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3034848. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
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