Blood pressure - should you DIY? [news]

Should you check your own blood pressure at home? I hadn't thought about this until my partner Rick returned from his general practitioner with a scary blood pressure result. Convinced it was the white coat effect, Rick bought an electronic blood pressure monitor and checked his blood pressure at home. It was normal. Two days later he took his notes and his monitor to the GP - who, after checking his technique and his readings, agreed his blood pressure was fine and no medication was needed. Some figures suggest white coat hypertension may affect up to 20 per cent of people diagnosed with high blood pressure.