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Can I stop my blood pressure medicine once readings are normal?

Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS

Not on your own. Readings are usually normal because the medicine is working, and stopping often sends pressure back up within days to weeks, sometimes with a rebound.

Some people genuinely can step down after major weight loss or lifestyle change, but that decision belongs to your prescriber, made gradually with home readings watching.

Bring your doctor a month of home numbers and ask directly whether a trial reduction makes sense. That is a normal, reasonable question to ask.

If you are buying a monitor

Get an upper-arm cuff, not a wrist one, from a validated brand like Omron. Expect $30 to $60. Check the cuff size fits your arm; a too-small cuff reads high.

See validated upper-arm monitors

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General answers only go so far. A doctor can look at your numbers and history and give you a written answer about you.

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