How to Check Someone's Blood Pressure

Do you or a family member need your blood pressure checked regularly? Taking blood pressure is fairly easy, even if you don't have one of those automatic blood pressure cuffs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• blood pressure cuff
• sthethoscope

1. Fasten the blood pressure cuff around the left arm of the patient on his or her bicep, just above the elbow joint. You will see a diagram on the cuff showing how it should be placed. The arrow should be just above the joint of the elbow.

2. With the stethoscope, find the patient's brachial pulse. This is in the artery at the bend of the elbow.

3. Tighten the valve on the bulb of the blood pressure cuff and inflate it until you can no longer hear the brachial pulse.

4. Slowly open the valve to release pressure from the cuff while you listen for the pulse to return. As the cuff deflates, watch the dial. The point where you first hear the pulse return is the top number or the systolic blood pressure.

5. Note when you can no longer hear the pulse again. This will give you the bottom number, or the diastolic blood pressure.

Tips & Warnings

• Blood pressure is best taken in a quiet place
• Let the patient relax for about 5 minutes before actually taking the blood pressure
• Blood pressure should be taken at different times of the day over the course of several days to get a good baseline
• If blood pressure is consistently high, see your doctor
• Even if blood pressure appears "normal" but patient feels ill, light headed, nauseas, or has chest pains or any other signs or symptoms of heart attack, call a doctor immediately.