How to Take a Blood Pressure Measurement
High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease. Therefore it is important to regularly take a blood pressure measurement of a person who has a history of high readings and during regular health check-ups for healthy individuals. It is a simple process, and these steps will show you how to do it with the standard device--a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope.
Instructions
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1
Move to a quiet area free from noise and distractions.
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2
Ask the individual being measured to be seated and sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor.
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3
Wrap the sphygmomanometer cuff around the upper part of the person's non-dominant arm, just above the bend of the elbow.
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4
Insert the earpieces into your ears, and place the stethoscope gently along the inside of the arm just under the edge of the cuff. It should be in line with the brachial artery.
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5
Pump the inflation bulb to the point where the needle on the sphygmomanometer reaches between 140 and 180 mmHg. For a person with a history of high blood pressure, you will likely need to pump to 180.
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Very slowly and steadily release the air out of the bulb by turning the dial.
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Pay attention to the needle when you start to hear the first beat, or Korotkoff sounds, from the stethoscope. The point at which the needled rested when this sounds started is the systolic blood pressure reading.
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Continue to deflate the bulb until the sounds can no longer be heard. The needle point at which the beating sound disappears is the diastolic blood pressure reading.
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Fully deflate the bulb and remove the cuff. Record the reading, writing the systolic number over the diastolic number.
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Tips & Warnings
If you did not hear the point at which the beats first started, you will need to retake the blood pressure, pumping it up to a higher number when you start than you did the first time. Closely watch the needle, as it may vibrate a bit as the beating starts and help you determine an accurate reading.
Don't pump the cuff too high or release the air too slowly, as it can be uncomfortable for the patient.
Resources
- Photo Credit Dean Jenkins, www.morguefile.com
