There are no special preparations required when having a blood pressure test completed. You may want to wear a short-sleeved shirt to your doctor’s appointment, so the nurse or doctor will have an easier time performing the blood pressure test. Your arm needs to be readily available to complete the check.
Other than that, your doctor may want to focus on your high blood pressure during an appointment. If this is the case, you should use the toilet beforehand, avoid eating, drinking caffeinated beverages, or smoking at least one hour before the test is scheduled to occur. Some medications have been known to cause complications during a high blood pressure test – namely antidepressants, birth control pills, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. You should not stop taking the prescription medications, but warn your doctor if you are on any before the trial. They may skew the test results slightly.
