Fluctuating blood pressure can be normal, as blood pressure varies somewhat throughout the day.
Stress, exercise, and sleep can all make a difference.
But if your blood pressure often changes significantly from one healthcare visit to another, there may a problem.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
This article explains why you may have fluctuating blood pressure and ways your healthcare provider can identify the cause.
To prevent errors, bring your home blood pressure monitor to your next healthcare appointment.
Work with your healthcare provider to be sure you’re using it correctly.
You should also bring your readings to see if you get similar numbers in the office.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
Some healthcare providers recommendambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
This involves wearing a rig at home for a day or two.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
A Word From Verywell
Fluctuations in blood pressure from minute to minute are common and normal.
Medical Causes
Experts are exploring why blood pressure varies from visit to visit.
Very rarely, blood pressure changes come from apheochromocytomaa tumor in the adrenal gland.These tumors are usually not cancerous.
The vast majority of people with the condition have them for another reason.
Blood pressure changes also can occur due to medication use.
Is a Fluctuating Blood Pressure Serious?
Normal variations may differ by person.
However, large variations may indicate a health condition.
One study looked at patients taking blood pressure medicine.
Medical parameters
Sometimes just being in a medical setting is enough to throw off your readings.
That’s why providers often wait for you to rest for five minutes before they take a reading.
Another option is to take your blood pressure twice.
Masked Hypertension
Masked hypertension is the opposite problem.
It takes place if readings in a medical office are normal.
Home monitoring may also be a good idea for:
Do you take blood pressure medication?
Experts don’t know exactly how high blood pressure develops.
It may be because your genes and your environment affect how your heart and kidneys work.
It may also be due to gradualatherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Some risk factors raise the chances of having high blood pressure.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
If you’re using a home blood pressure cuff, the readings might be off.
The same holds true for drugstore equipment.
It’s also possible that your readings vary because you’re stressed by being in a healthcare setting.
Some differences, though, could be related to a health condition.
If you’re not getting consistent readings, it’s important to see your healthcare provider about the issue.
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