Where Is Blood Pressure Measured?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is known as a "silent killer" because it often shows no outward symptoms. However, one in three adults suffers from hypertension, and it can lead to serious complications such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, aneurysm and other potentially fatal diseases. It is important to have blood pressure checked regularly and often, as the numbers may fluctuate even in the same hour.
-
Procedure
-
Tools for measuring blood pressure include a sphygmomanometer, pronounced Sfig-moh-ma-NOM-ih-ter--a cuff with Velcro, gauge, tube for inflating and rubber bulb to inflate and deflate the cuff--and a stethoscope. The patient should be at rest, in a seated position with the sleeve comfortably rolled up and the arm bent so it is at the same level as the heart. The cuff is gently wrapped around the upper arm and the stethoscope is placed against the inside of the elbow at the brachial artery. Inflate the cuff to 20-30 mmHg,--millimeters of mercury, the standard unit of measurement--higher than the patient's usual systolic pressure. If this is not known, inflate to 210 mmHg. Slowly deflate the cuff, watch the gauge and listen through the stethoscope for thumping sounds known as Korotkoff sounds. The reading on the gauge when the sounds start is the systolic pressure. Continue deflating the cuff, and the reading when the sounds end is the diastolic pressure.
Measurements
-
The two numbers that make up blood pressure readings are the systolic and diastolic pressures. The systolic pressure, which is written first or on top, is the maximum pressure the heart uses to pump blood through the arteries and to the rest of the body. The diastolic pressure, written second or below the systolic, is the pressure in the walls of the arteries when the heart is at rest.
-
Range
-
In healthy adults, the ideal blood pressure range should be less than 120 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic. If the systolic reading is less than 90 mmHg, or if either number is 25 mmHg lower than usual, this indicates hypotension, or low blood pressure, which can be caused by heart failure, dehydration, gland disorders or infection.
Diseases Causing High Blood Pressure
-
In 90 to 95 percent of cases of hypertension, the cause is unknown. If it is caused by another disease, it is called secondary hypertension. Some conditions that may affect blood pressure are cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, kidney and urological conditions, pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, psychological issues such as anger or fear, or "white coat syndrome," in which the patient is nervous during a visit to the doctor's office and blood pressure spikes. Home blood pressure readings recorded in a log help counteract "white coat syndrome" by providing a more accurate history of blood pressure. High blood pressure can be hereditary and is more common in African Americans than Caucasians. Smoking, obesity, a high-salt diet and diabetes all contribute to high blood pressure.
Risks of High Blood Pressure
-
Blood pressure can be controlled by a variety of medications, in addition to diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. If hypertension continues unchecked, a range of deadly complications can occur, including congestive heart failure, brain damage, stroke, kidney damage or failure, heart attack, damage to the blood vessels or vision loss.
-
