A seven-day blood pressure average needs a defined set of measurements: add systolic values and divide by their count, then do the same for diastolic values. Keep all original rows and identify any excluded or missing sessions. Follow your clinician’s requested calculation rule rather than treating every weekly summary as a diagnostic protocol.
Start with the readings you actually have
Here is a fictional seven-day record. Each pair lists the first and second measurements in that session. The numbers are arithmetic examples, not targets or a suggested monitoring plan.
| Day | Morning pair | Evening pair | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · 7 Oct | 136/86; 132/84 | 134/85; 130/83 | 4 |
| 2 · 8 Oct | 128/82; 126/80 | 130/84; 128/82 | 4 |
| 3 · 9 Oct | 126/80; 124/78 | 128/82; 126/80 | 4 |
| 4 · 10 Oct | 128/82; 126/80 | Missing | 2 |
| 5 · 11 Oct | 130/84; 128/82 | 132/86; 130/84 | 4 |
| 6 · 12 Oct | 124/78; 122/76 | 126/80; 124/78 | 4 |
| 7 · 13 Oct | 128/82; 126/80 | 130/84; 128/82 | 4 |
Average systolic and diastolic separately. For all 26 recorded measurements, the sums are 3,330 and 2,124. Dividing each by 26 gives 128.1/81.7 mmHg, rounded to one decimal place.
Calling this a “seven-day average” does not tell the reader that one session is missing. Include that fact alongside the count. Whether the record meets a requested clinical protocol is a separate question for the care team.
Ask which calculation was requested
Some monitoring plans use particular inclusion rules. NICE's confirmatory home-monitoring protocol excludes the first day's measurements when calculating its diagnostic average. That is a specific clinical protocol, rather than a universal rule for every weekly app summary.
For this same fictional record, excluding day one leaves 22 readings and an average of 127.2/81.2 mmHg. Keep those four first-day readings in the source record and mark their calculation status. Do not erase them or discard whichever individual values look inconvenient.
Check the second calculation
Day one's systolic sum is 532 and diastolic sum is 338. The remaining sums are 2,798 and 1,786. Divide each by 22, then round. This demonstrates arithmetic only; it does not certify a complete diagnostic record.
Give the summary a clear label
“7–13 October; 26 readings; all recorded rows included; evening session missing on 10 October” explains considerably more than “weekly BP”. If your clinician requested a different selection, name that selection and its count.
The average calculator has an any-readings mode and a seven-day morning/evening mode, with optional day-one exclusion and raw CSV export. Choose the mode and rule that match the plan you were given. The calculator does arithmetic; it does not decide the plan or diagnose the result.
Use the monitoring-frequency article for questions about agreeing a routine, and retain the original rows when preparing an appointment report.
Frequently asked questions
Should I always exclude the first day?
Use the inclusion rule requested by your clinician. NICE’s confirmatory protocol has that rule, but it is not a universal instruction for every app summary.
Can missing sessions be filled with zero?
No. Zero is a numeric value, not a missing measurement. State the gap and actual reading count alongside the average.
Sources
- NICE NG136: recommendation 1.2.7, confirmatory home monitoring
- NHS: blood pressure monitoring plans
- Heart Foundation Australia: paper and digital recording
Sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Follow your clinician's instructions about inclusion and interpretation; do not change treatment from a calculated average.