Learn More About How To Check Blood Pressure ;
What Is Meant By Blood Pressure ?
The force of circulating blood on the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is taken using two measurements: systolic (measured when the heart beats, when blood pressure is at its highest) and diastolic (measured between heart beats, when blood pressure is at its lowest). Why is it called blood pressure? The force of blood on artery walls is called blood pressure. Normal pressure is important for the proper flow of blood from the heart to the body’s organs and tissues. Each heart beat forces blood to the rest of the body. Near the heart, pressure is higher, and away from it lower.
What is the blood pressure of a human?
Ranges of normal blood pressure readings
The National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association (AHA) cite normal blood pressure to be below 120 mm Hg systolic and 80 mm Hg diastolic.
How To Check Blood Pressure
You don’t always have to go to your doctor’s office to have your blood pressure checked; you can monitor your own blood pressure at home. This is especially important if your doctor recommends that you monitor your blood pressure on a regular basis.
How To Check Your Blood Pressure at Home
The following steps provide an overview of how to take your left arm blood pressure on either a manual or digital blood pressure monitor. Simply reverse the sides to take a blood pressure in your right arm.
1. Locate your pulse
Locate your pulse by lightly pressing your index and middle fingers slightly to the inside center of the bend of your elbow (where the brachial artery is). If you cannot locate your pulse, place the head of the stethoscope (on a manual monitor) or the arm cuff (on a digital monitor) in the same general area.
2. Secure the cuff
Slide the cuff onto your arm, making sure that the stethoscope head is over the artery (when using a manual monitor.) The cuff may be marked with an arrow to show the location of the stethoscope head. The lower edge of the cuff should be about 1 inch above the bend of your elbow. Use the fabric fastener to make the cuff snug, but not too tight.
Place the stethoscope in your ears. Tilt the ear pieces slightly forward to get the best sound.
3. Inflate and deflate the cuff
If you are using a manual monitor:
- Hold the pressure gauge in your left hand and the bulb in your right.
- Close the airflow valve on the bulb by turning the screw clockwise.
- Inflate the cuff by squeezing the bulb with your right hand. You may hear your pulse in the stethoscope.
- Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points (mm Hg) above your expected systolic pressure. At this point, you should not hear your pulse in the stethoscope.
- Keeping your eyes on the gauge, slowly release the pressure in the cuff by opening the airflow valve counterclockwise. The gauge should fall only 2 to 3 points with each heartbeat. (You may need to practice turning the valve slowly.)
- Listen carefully for the first pulse beat. As soon as you hear it, note the reading on the gauge. This reading is your systolic pressure (the force of the blood against the artery walls as your heart beats).
- Continue to slowly deflate the cuff.
- Listen carefully until the sound disappears. As soon as you can no longer hear your pulse, note the reading on the gauge. This reading is your diastolic pressure (the blood pressure between heartbeats).
- Allow the cuff to completely deflate.
You’ll get the most accurate reading if your arm is held straight.
If you released the pressure too quickly or could not hear your pulse, DO NOT inflate the cuff again right away. Wait one minute before repeating the measurement. Start by reapplying the cuff.
If you are using a digital monitor:
- Hold the bulb in your right hand.
- Press the power button. All display symbols should appear briefly, followed by a zero. This indicates that the monitor is ready.
- Inflate the cuff by squeezing the bulb with your right hand. If you have a monitor with automatic cuff inflation, press the start button.
- Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points (mm Hg) above your expected systolic pressure.
- Sit quietly and watch the monitor. Pressure readings will be displayed on the screen. For some devices, values may appear on the left, then on the right.
- Wait for a long beep. This means that the measurement is complete. Note the pressures on the display screen. Systolic pressure (the force of the blood against the artery walls as your heart beats) appears on the left and diastolic pressure (the blood pressure between heartbeats) on the right. Your pulse rate may also be displayed in between or after this reading.
- Allow the cuff to deflate.
If you did not get an accurate reading, DO NOT inflate the cuff again right away. Wait one minute before repeating the measurement. Start by reapplying the cuff.
4. Record your blood pressure.
Follow your doctor’s instructions on when and how often you should measure your blood pressure. Record the date, time, systolic and diastolic pressures. You should also record any special circumstances like any recent exercise, meal, or stressful event.
At least once a year, and especially after you first purchase your blood pressure monitor, bring your monitor with you to your doctor’s visit to check the machine’s accuracy. This is done by comparing a blood pressure reading from your machine with one from the doctor’s office machine.
Using blood pressure apps
Apps and wrist devices are available that claim to measure blood pressure, but experts warn that these are often of poor quality. As a result, the readings may be inaccurate. They are not a reliable way to monitor a person’s health.
However, apps that log blood pressure results may be helpful for people who need to take regular blood pressure tests. Recording a set of readings in these apps may help doctors identify trends in blood pressure and recommend treatments.
The 10 best blood pressure apps
Blood Pressure Companion
Heart Habit
Pacer
My Diet Coach
Sleep Cycle
Smoke Free
Calm
Breathing Zone
Qardio
HealthWatch 360
Tips for checking blood pressure at home
When checking blood pressure at home, it is important that a person is:
- placing the cuff directly on bare skin on the upper arm
- taking a few deep breaths and relaxing for up to 5 minutes before measuring blood pressure
- avoiding talking during the test
- placing the feet flat on the floor and sitting up straight while measuring blood pressure
- avoiding checking blood pressure in a cold room
- supporting the arm as close to heart level as possible
- measuring the blood pressure at a few different times during the day
- avoiding exercising, smoking, and drinking caffeine or alcohol for 30 minutes before taking a blood pressure reading
- emptying the bladder before taking a blood pressure test, as a full bladder may give an incorrect blood pressure reading
- taking several readings 1 minute apart, as readings can vary
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