Free Blood Pressure Chart Samples, Examples & Templates

What Is A Blood Pressure Chart?

Did your doctor tell you to watch your blood pressure because it was too high during your last few visits? High blood pressure is commonly called the silent killer. This means that dangerously high blood pressure often happens without any physical symptoms, and regular monitoring may be the only way to catch it. A blood pressure chart helps you track your daily readings. Over time, you can see changes. If you combine charting with a healthier lifestyle, you will probably see better numbers. The chart is also helpful to your doctor for improving health care delivery. If you are monitoring your numbers because your pressure tends to be too low, you may feel faint or dizzy when it drops.

Tips For Making A Blood Pressure Chart

Every person’s needs are different when it comes to blood pressure charting, and you may need to do more than take a daily reading. Ask your doctor how often you should chart. What time or times of the day do you need to measure it? Does your doctor want you to measure your blood pressure lying down, sitting up and standing on your feet? Do you need to take additional notes? Only your doctor can tell you these things. Here are some tips from experienced medical professionals for making your own personalized blood pressure chart:

• Be sure to make the chart with enough spaces for each day of the current month.
• Include a field for recording the time of the blood pressure reading.
• If you choose to write the chart by hand, avoid using graph paper with tiny lines.
• Include your target blood pressure range at the top of the chart for comparison.
• Write down your target time range for measuring, and try to stick within that frame each day.
• If you use an app to log your blood pressure, transfer it onto a chart to prevent losing data if the app crashes or fails.

How To Use A Blood Pressure Chart

The overall goal of using a blood pressure chart is improving your health. Also, think from the perspective of your doctor as you make your chart and write on it. As a finished product, your chart should show your doctor why changes happen. These steps will help you make the most of your chart.

1. Write down what you are doing. Did you just get back from running? Did you fall down or get sick? In the notes section of your log, be sure to write down any preceding activity that could affect your blood pressure.

2. Provide information about dietary changes. If you break your diet from time to time, be sure to write down what you ate in your notes. Did you eat it the night before a high reading? Taking your blood pressure after a heavily salted meal can result in a higher reading.

3. Write about what you are feeling when you record your blood pressure. Are you stressed out about something? Do you feel anxious or depressed? Anything from taking your blood pressure after waking up from a sleep terror to continually feeling stressed about finances can affect your reading.

4. Make a monthly summary. At the end of each month, read your chart to identify any higher-than-usual readings and what might have triggered them. Determine what you can do to prevent that in the coming months.

5. Know your numbers. Part of proper charting is knowing when to take action. Your top number is called the systolic number, and it should not be above 140. Any number above that is considered high blood pressure, and a systolic number below 90 is considered dangerously low. The bottom number is the diastolic number. It should not be above 80. If the number is above 90, it is too high. A diastolic number of 60 or below is too low. If your numbers are too high or too low, call your doctor. For dangerously high or low numbers, call 911.

6. Make a note of arm changes. Try to measure your blood pressure on the same arm each day. If you injure that arm or just had blood drawn, take your blood pressure on the other arm. Make a note of it. Also, make a note of any changes if you switch to a different type of cuff. For example, some people use a wrist cuff if they can no longer use a cuff on their upper arm.

7. Keep a routine. While taking your blood pressure at the same time each day is part of keeping a charting routine, you also need to follow a routine of the same steps. Do not talk, sit still and avoid eating or drinking while you measure your blood pressure. As soon as you are finished, write down your blood pressure numbers on your chart along with any relevant notes.

8. Write extra notes if necessary. If your chart’s note section is too small for you to include all relevant information, make a note to adjust the field size on your computer for next month before you print it out again. Do not leave out any details that you feel may be important if there is not enough space to write them. If something worries you, your doctor should know about it. You may not remember those concerns in a month or two when you see your doctor.

Sample Blood Pressure Charts

The following examples will show you what information to include if you are making your own basic or detailed blood pressure chart. Also, there is a template that you can use for reference when creating your own customized document.

Basic Chart

Month and year
Target blood pressure
Maximum blood pressure
Line or box for each day of the current month
Date
Time of reading
Systolic/diastolic
Notes

Detailed Chart

Month and year
Target blood pressure
Maximum blood pressure
Line or box for each day of the current month
Additional lines if measuring multiple times per day
Date
Time of reading
Lying, sitting and standing numbers
Notes about current activities
Notes about food consumption
Notes about stress and mood
Additional notes

BP Chart Template

January 2017

Target BP: _________

Call doctor if BP is above: _________