India, Feb. 20 -- Checking blood pressure (BP) is one of the most commonly performed tests of health across the globe. BP is the amount of force that blood has to exert against the walls of the arteries to get around in the body.

There are two numbers that make up a blood pressure reading. The first number, which is of a higher value, is the systolic blood pressure, and is measured when the heart is sending the blood into the arteries. The second is the diastolic blood pressure, which is measured when the heart is at rest between beats.

Due to the everyday nature of BP testing, many households prefer procuring the instrument to keep BP in check by themselves. However, it is common for untrained people to make certain mistakes during the...