Where is blood pressure monitored

The earpieces should face forward, toward your eyes. Place the stethoscope disk on the inside of your elbow. Inflate the cuff by squeezing the rubber bulb. Keep squeezing until the pointer on the dial reaches 30 to 40 points higher than your last systolic reading. The systolic reading is the top number of blood pressure. Inflate the cuff at a rapid rate, not just a little at a time.

Inflating the cuff too slowly will cause a false reading. Slightly loosen the valve on the unit and slowly let some air out of the cuff. Deflate the cuff by 2 to 3 millimeters per second. As you let the air out of the cuff, you will begin to hear your heartbeat. Listen carefully for the first sound. Check the blood pressure reading by looking at the pointer on the dial. This number is your systolic pressure. Continue to deflate the cuff. Listen to your heartbeat. You will hear your heartbeat stop at some point.

Check the reading on the dial. This number is your diastolic pressure. Write down the measurement in your record. The systolic pressure goes in front of the diastolic pressure. If you need to repeat the measurement, wait 2 to 3 minutes before starting. Below are the steps to take to use a digital monitor. Turn the power on to start the unit. On the automatic models, the cuff will inflate by itself with a push of a button. On the manual models, you have to inflate the cuff.

You do this by squeezing the rubber bulb at a rapid rate. After the cuff inflates, the automatic device will slowly let air out. Look at the display screen to get your blood pressure reading.

It will show your systolic and diastolic pressures. Press the exhaust button to release all of the air from the cuff. Things to consider What does my blood pressure reading mean? Medical terms Monitoring your blood pressure at home can be confusing. Blood pressure: The force of blood against the walls of the artery.

Hypertension: High blood pressure. Hypotension: Low blood pressure. Brachialartery: A blood vessel that goes from your shoulder to below your elbow. You measure your blood pressure in this artery. Systolic pressure: The highest pressure in an artery when your heart is pumping blood to your body.

Diastolic pressure: The lowest pressure in an artery when your heart is at rest. Blood pressure measurement: A calculation of both the systolic and diastolic It is written or displayed with the systolic number first and the diastolic pressure second.

This is the diastolic pressure. This test only takes about one minute to complete. Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test? You don't need any special preparations for a blood pressure measurement. Are there any risks to the test?

What do the results mean? Is there anything else I need to know about a blood pressure measurement? Exercise regularly. Staying active can help lower your blood pressure and also help manage your weight. Most adults should aim for minutes of physical activity per week.

Check with your provider before beginning an exercise program. Keep a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing as little as 5 pounds can lower your blood pressure. Eat a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetable, and whole grains. Limit foods high in saturated fat and total fat. Reduce salt in your diet. Most adults should have less than mg of salt per day. Limit alcohol use. If you choose to drink, limit yourself to one drink a day if you are a woman; two drinks a day if you're a man.

Don't smoke. References American Heart Association [Internet]. Monitoring Your Blood at Home; [cited Nov 30]; [about 4 screens]. Understanding Blood Pressure Readings; [cited Nov 30]; [about 3 screens]. Plan to bring your monitor in once a year to make sure the readings are accurate.

Several studies have been done to determine what is a normal variation between right and left arm. In general, any difference of 10 mm Hg or less is considered normal and is not a cause for concern.

One blood pressure measurement is like a snapshot. It only tells what your blood pressure is at that moment. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff. High Blood Pressure. Understanding Blood Pressure Readings. Blood Pressure Toolkit. Our monthly e-newsletter delivers helpful articles and the latest news for heart patients and their families. By clicking the sign up button you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

How to use a home blood pressure monitor Be still. Don't smoke, drink caffeinated beverages or exercise within 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. The gauge uses a unit of measurement called millimeters of mercury mmHg to measure the pressure in your blood vessels.

If you have high blood pressure, talk to your health care team about steps to take to control your blood pressure to lower your risk for heart disease and stroke. Use this list of questions to ask your health care team pdf icon [PDF — KB] to help you manage your blood pressure.

Talk with your health care team about regularly measuring your blood pressure at home, also called self-measured blood pressure SMBP monitoring. These blood pressure monitors are easy and safe to use. A health care team member can show you how to use one if you need help. Talk with your health care team about how often you should have your blood pressure measured or when to measure it yourself.

People who have high blood pressure may need to measure their blood pressure more often than people who do not have high blood pressure. If you are concerned about your blood pressure numbers, talk to your health care team. They can help you make a plan to manage high blood pressure.

No matter your age, you also can take steps each day to help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Use this printable and shareable list of questions to ask your health care team to help you manage your blood pressure. Share this graphic with family and friends to show them the correct way to measure blood pressure. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

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