Take blood-pressure before seeing doctor

You may want to take your blood pressure when the pressure's not on.

Australian researchers found that many patients' blood-pressure readings were higher at a doctor's office than when they were taken with a personal blood pressure monitor the day before. The device, known widely as an ambulatory blood pressure monitor, records readings at various times during the day. They attributed the results to increased anxiety many feel in a doctor's office. The rise in blood pressure was especially pronounced in those who had previously been diagnosed with hypertension.

Researchers recommend that patients take their own blood pressure several times the day before a scheduled visit and compare the readings with what your doctor gets.

The study was published in the April 14 edition of the British Medical Journal.