Blood Pressure Measurements |
Your blood pressure is read using a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer. A cuff is wrapped around your arm and air is pumped into the cuff until it serves as a tourniquet and your circulation has been temporarily stopped. While listening to an artery with a stethoscope the pressure in the cuff is slowly released and a gauge read noting the pressure when the pulse can once again be heard (systolic reading) and when the pulse can no longer be heard (diastolic reading). |
Your blood pressure is the force of the blood against the walls of your arteries as the blood circulates around your body. It is usually described with two numbers, the systolic and diastolic readings such as 120/80 (120 over 80). The first number, (the higher number), the systolic reading is the pressure in the artery when the heart pumps, around 60 to 100 times per minute. The second number, (the lower number), the diastolic reading is the pressure in the artery when the heart muscle is at rest between beats of your heart. Both readings are important.
Blood pressure changes during the course of a day. It is lowest while you are asleep and higher during physical activity. Stress increases blood pressure. For some, blood pressure goes up and stays up. Most doctors diagnosis high blood pressure (hypertension) with readings at or above 140/90.
Know your risk factors. Family history, heredity, genetics are powerful risk factors that you cannot change. Nor can you change your age or sex. What you can change is your cholesterol, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, obesity and by controlling diabetes if you have diabetes.
