Blood Pressure Tracker

Log readings with date, time and pulse. See your average, your trend, and which category it falls in — then print the log for your appointment.

Editorially Reviewed Updated June 15, 2026

Add a reading

Saved to this browser only. Nothing is uploaded.

How to measure correctly — this matters more than the tracker

A badly taken reading is worse than no reading, because it gets treated as real. Sit quietly for five minutes first. Sit with your back supported and your feet flat on the floor — no crossed legs. Rest your arm on a table so the cuff sits at heart level, against bare skin, snug enough that two fingertips just slide under. No caffeine, alcohol, smoking or exercise for 30 minutes beforehand, and empty your bladder first. Do not talk during the measurement. Take two readings a minute apart and record both, or their average. Measure at the same times each day — typically morning before medicines and evening — and use the same arm each time, the one that read higher when you first compared them.

Your saved readings, average and trend appear here once you add one.

What this tool can and cannot tell you

This is a log, not a diagnosis. Hypertension is diagnosed by a clinician from repeated readings, often confirmed with ambulatory or home monitoring over days — never from a single number or from this page.
The categories shown follow widely used US thresholds. Other countries and guidelines draw the lines differently, and your personal target may be higher or lower depending on age, diabetes, kidney disease and pregnancy.
The tool cannot know whether your monitor is accurate. Take it to an appointment once a year and check it against the clinic device, and replace cuffs that no longer hold pressure.
Cuff size changes the reading substantially — a cuff that is too small can overestimate systolic pressure by 10–20 mmHg. Measure your upper arm and buy the size that matches.
Wrist and finger monitors are far less reliable than a validated upper-arm device, and readings from them should not be treated as equivalent.

Reading your own blood pressure numbers

What the two numbers mean, which one matters when, and what genuinely moves them.

The top number, systolic pressure, is the pressure in your arteries when the heart contracts. The bottom number, diastolic, is the pressure between beats. Both are measured in millimetres of mercury. In adults over about 50, systolic pressure is the stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk, largely because arteries stiffen with age; in younger adults, diastolic carries more weight.

The categories

Widely used US thresholds classify under 120/80 as normal; 120–129 systolic with diastolic under 80 as elevated; 130–139 or 80–89 as stage 1 hypertension; and 140/90 or above as stage 2. Above 180/120 is a hypertensive crisis: repeat after five minutes of rest, and if it stays there, seek urgent care — immediately if it comes with chest pain, breathlessness, weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty speaking, or visual change. These are population thresholds, and the target your clinician sets for you may differ.

Why home readings are worth taking

Clinic readings are noisy. White-coat hypertension — raised in the clinic, normal at home — affects a meaningful share of people and can lead to unnecessary treatment. Masked hypertension is the reverse and is more dangerous, because it goes untreated. Home averages over several days correlate better with cardiovascular outcomes than one-off office readings, which is why a well-kept log genuinely changes decisions.

What changes the numbers

Sodium reduction, potassium-rich eating patterns such as DASH, weight loss, regular aerobic activity, limiting alcohol, and better sleep all lower blood pressure measurably; the effects add up. In the other direction, decongestants containing pseudoephedrine, regular NSAID use, some antidepressants, oral contraceptives, liquorice, stimulants and untreated sleep apnoea all raise it. So does a full bladder, a conversation during measurement, or an unsupported arm — which is why technique keeps coming up.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I measure at home?

A common approach is twice daily — morning before medication and food, and evening — with two readings a minute apart on each occasion, for seven days before an appointment. Continuous daily measurement for months rarely adds information and often adds anxiety.

My two readings are different. Which one do I record?

Record both, or their average. The first reading of a session is usually the highest; discarding it and averaging the rest is standard practice in clinical guidance. Large, repeated differences between arms are worth mentioning to a clinician.

What counts as an emergency?

A reading above 180 systolic or 120 diastolic that persists after five minutes of rest needs urgent medical attention. If it is accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness or numbness on one side, trouble speaking, or vision changes, call emergency services immediately — that is a possible heart attack or stroke, not a blood pressure reading to log.

Do I need to stop my medication before measuring?

No. Never skip or delay a prescribed dose to change a reading. Measure at consistent times relative to your doses — typically before the morning dose — and tell your clinician what that timing is.

Sources

American Heart Association — Understanding Blood Pressure Readings — Categories and crisis thresholds
American Heart Association — Monitoring Your Blood Pressure at Home — Correct home measurement technique
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — High Blood Pressure — Risk factors, prevention and management
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute — DASH Eating Plan — Dietary pattern with measured blood-pressure effects

Health Captain links to primary public-health and clinical sources so you can read the original material yourself. See our sources policy.

About this trackerThis tracker records and charts readings you enter. It does not diagnose hypertension, set treatment targets, or replace clinical measurement. Never start, stop or change a medication based on what you see here.

Health

Start with the basics

Conditions

Not sure where to start?

Medications

Bring the whole list

Tools

Your data stays yours

Play

Play Health Captain

Discover

The Future of Health Is Already Here

Resources

Your Weekly Health Brief