There is a lot of good information on the internet. I  encourage all of our hypertension patients to visit the http://www.hypertensionfoundation.org/home.cfm for more comprehensive information. Meanwhile a few basics:

1. Elevated Blood Pressure may exist without any symptoms but should be treated no matter whether you "feel like" your pressure is elevated or not. If you have been diagnosed as hypertensive, take your medication as prescribed EVERY DAY.

2. Treatment is generally lifelong.

3. Lifestyle changes might work to reduce your blood pressure in some cases of mild hypertension, but in most cases medication will continue to be necessary.

4. One medication alone may not be effective. Two or three medications used in combination may be necessary to get your hypertension under control.

5. When your BP readings are reduced to normal, your medication should not be stopped! This means that your medicine is controlling your hypertension.

6. Finally, if medication is taken as prescribed and your blood pressure is reduced, your risk of having a stroke or heart failure is SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED.

CONTROLLING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE! TAKE YOUR MEDICINE EVERY DAY!

This first article is  5 1/2 pages, very well written, on "How to take your Blood Pressure and Info on Home BP Monitors" 

BloodPressureMonitoring.pdf

Here's a rather BRIEF document on different kinds of BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORS 

Blood Pressure Monitors info sheet.pdf

THIS is a link to an outside Website, from the first article, to a very detailed discussion of just about all the Monitors out there. "Everything you want to know about Blood Pressure Cuffs, and probably more..."