Blood pressure kiosks may not be accurate

Terry Zeller, 73, uses kiosks at Walmart to stay on top of his blood pressure. But that reading may not always be accurate, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

That's because blood pressure cuffs aren't a one size fits all, vascular surgeon Jeff Kronson said.

"We have to have a proper cuff size for the circumference of our arm," Kronson said. "A cuff that's too big will give you a falsely low reading. A cuff that's too small will give you a falsely high reading."

The positioning of the cuff on your arm is also critical.

But Kronson said one bad reading won't make or break the health of a patient.

"We shouldn't be alarmed with one blood pressure reading. One reading does not a hypertensive patient make," Kronson said.

For most people, experts say 120 over 80 is what you should aim for, but your doctor will tell you what's within normal range for you.

Zeller quit smoking and takes medication to keep his blood pressure in check. For those who fear faulty readings, he offers the following advice:

"If they keep getting sporadic readings, go to the doctor," Zeller said.