What Are The Different Styles Of Cuffs
- D-Ring Cuff: A d-ring cuff is a standard type of blood pressure cuff that you would usually see in your doctors office. It is a cuff where the user loops one end of the cuff through a metal ring, then fastens it to the arm. D-ring cuffs come in different sizes of small, standard and large. It is important to pick out the right size cuff based on your individual arm circumference. Please see the questions in this Omron FAQ regarding the different types of cuffs and how to measure your arm circumference.
- Expandable Cuff: The Omron ComFit Cuff is a pre-formed upper arm cuff that expands to fit both regular and large sized arms . It is designed to ensure more comfortable, accurate readings.
- Wrist Cuff: A wrist cuff is similar to an upper arm cuff however you can wrap it around your wrist instead of your upper arm.
How Do Health Care Professionals Measure My Blood Pressure
First, a health care professional wraps an inflatable cuff around your arm. The health care professional then inflates the cuff, which gently tightens on your arm. The cuff has a gauge on it that will measure your blood pressure.
The health care professional will slowly let air out of the cuff while listening to your pulse with a stethoscope and watching the gauge. This process is quick and painless. If using a digital or automatic blood pressure cuff, the health care professional will not need to use a stethoscope.
The gauge uses a unit of measurement called millimeters of mercury 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 to help you manage your blood pressure.
Using The Wrong Cuff Size For Your Arm
Just because the cuff may fit around your arm does not mean it is the right size cuff for you. The correct cuff size is directly related to the circumference of your arm. To get accurate readings, it is important that you are using the correct sized arm cuff. To determine your arm size, use a cloth tape measure and place midway between your elbow and your shoulder around the circumference of your upper arm. Wrap the tape measure evenly around your arm. Do not pull the tape tight. Note the precise measurement in inches. Select an Omron home blood pressure monitor with the right size of cuff included, or if you already have the monitor, and need a different sized cuff, contact our consumer support line at , and they can assist you to purchase the right size accessory cuff for your unit.
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Whats Considered A Normal Or Healthy Blood Pressure Range
Blood pressure is a very individualized vital sign, which means it can be very different for each person. Some people have naturally low blood pressure all the time, while others may run on the higher side.
In general, a normal blood pressure is considered anything less than 120/80 mm Hg. Your own personal blood pressure will depend on your:
- gender
| Hypertensive crisis | higher than 180 | higher than 120 |
When determining the category you fall into, its important to remember that both your systolic and diastolic numbers need to be in the normal range for your blood pressure to be considered normal.
If one number falls into one of the other categories, your blood pressure is considered to be in that category. For example, if your blood pressure is 115/92, your blood pressure would be considered high blood pressure stage 2.
Important
If your blood pressure ever goes over 180 systolic or over 120 diastolic after a repeat reading, seek emergency medical care right away.
Monitoring your blood pressure can help you and your doctor identify any issues early on. If treatment is needed, its better to start it early before damage has occurred in your arteries.
Treatment may involve lifestyle changes, such as:
- losing weight
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Why do I need to monitor my blood pressure at home?
- How often do I need to measure my blood pressure?
- What type of monitor should I use?
- What do my blood pressure readings mean?
- What is considered a normal blood pressure for me?
- What should I do if my readings are abnormal?
- Are there any lifestyle changes I can make to help manage my blood pressure?
- Do I need to take medicine to manage my blood pressure?
- What other things can affect a blood pressure reading?
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How To Check Blood Pressure With A Sphygmomanometer
People who suffer from hypertension should check their blood pressure regularly. This way, they can avoid a lot of issues and see a doctor as soon as they notice any issues.
There are numerous ways of checking blood pressure, but the most reliable one is through a sphygmomanometer or the manual kit. Apart from being reliable, this apparatus is quite inexpensive compared to digital metres.
However, the usage is not easy compared to the digital devices. Despite that, you should be aware of how to use the sphygmomanometer, especially if there is a blood pressure patient in your house.
Things Required
Slowly Release The Manual Pressure While Looking Straight
Looking at the face of the dial to read where to manual blood pressure reading is and record it accurately! Watch this video below to help with the process!
The 8 Modules in this course teach you to:
Initiate Report
Courteous Tips the Next Shift Wont Tell You
Give Perfect Concise Report
How to Call & Talk to Doctors
How to Give Report to other Facilities
How to Give Report when Going on Break
How to Give Report to Other Floors
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What Is The Difference Between The Comfit Cuff And The D
The ComFit cuff is pre-formed to wrap easily around your upper arm. It features 360º around the circumference of your arm to help reduce measurement errors and ensure inflation over your brachial artery. The D-Ring cuff is a soft contoured cuff that is designed for more comfortable measurement. This style is typically seen in a doctors office. You loop one end of the cuff through the D-shaped metal ring, put your arm through the cuff and then fasten the end around the arm. Both cuffs fit a standard- to large-sized adult arm. 9 to 17 in circumference.
When purchasing an at-home blood pressure monitor, it is important to know your proper cuff size. To determine your arm size, use a cloth measuring tape and measure the circumference of your left upper arm midway between your elbow and shoulder. The blood pressure cuff must be neither too tight nor too loose to help ensure accurate readings, providing you with an accurate picture of your hearts health.
How Do I Interpret Data From A Sphygmomanometer
This is the most straight-forward part of the process, but that doesnt mean its easy. There may be concerning results, making subsequent tests challenging.
Since you can stop worrying as easily as you can stop a train, instead redirect the train of your thoughts to something procedural. Do something like make a grocery list in your head.
Although opinions vary somewhat, in general, a normal test will read 120/80 .
Readings between 120 and 139 for systolic and 80 to 89 in diastolic indicate possible prehypertension.
If your systolic is between 140 and 150, and your diastolic is between 90 and 99, you may have stage I hypertension.
Stage II hypertension is when your systolic exceeds 160, with a diastolic over 100.
Stage III hypertension is over 180 systolic, and a 110 diastolic or higher.
There are many factors that can give you a false reading. Unless it’s 180/110, try not to panic over one high reading. Even then, perform at least one retest.
If youve been engaged in a robust activity, like working out or playing sports, it may be higher. If youve been eating salty food, consuming stimulants , it will be higher than normal.
Adjust the cuff and take another reading.
If you wait a few hours and it doesnt come down from a one-off, you may feel more comfortable after contacting a medical professional.
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How Can I Check My Blood Pressure At Home Using
But you dont need to go to your doctor just to get a blood pressure reading. The easiest way to monitor your own blood pressure at home is to get a machine that has a blood pressure calculator and digital display.
Purchase a blood pressure monitor cuff that wraps around the upper arm. The cuff should fit well, and not be too loose or too tight when not in use. Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended because the readings arent as reliable. When choosing a blood pressure monitor, take it to your doctors office. They may be able to show you how to use it properly and check whether the machine provides accurate readings.
Here are some tips to follow while measuring your blood pressure at home:
- Before measuring your blood pressure, sit quietly for 5 minutes with your arm relaxed on a supporting surface at the level of your heart.
- Your back should be supported and both feet should be flat on the floor.
- The cuff should be positioned on your upper arm as instructed on the guide that came with the monitor. It is easier to use your non-dominant arm .
- Avoid caffeine, smoking, or exercise at least 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Do not take a reading if stressed or angry.
Blood pressure categories defined by the American Heart Association are as follows:
- Normal: Below 120/80 mm Hg
- Prehypertension: 120-139/80-90 mm Hg
Manual Blood Pressure Monitors
Manual models are like the ones that might be used in your doctorâs office. They usually include an arm cuff, a squeeze bulb to inflate the cuff, a stethoscope or microphone, and a gauge to measure the blood pressure.
To take your blood pressure, you inflate the cuff around your upper arm. This stops the flow of blood in the artery for a short time. You place the stethoscope on the skin over the artery. As you release air from the cuff, you listen for the sound of the blood as it starts to flow through the artery again.
The reading on the gauge when blood flow is first heard is the systolic pressure. The reading when blood flow can no longer be heard is the diastolic pressure.
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How Is Blood Pressure Measured
It’s important to measure blood pressure more than once because it fluctuates over the course of the day. It can also change due to things like physical exertion, stress, pain, or extreme heat or cold. But this kind of increase in blood pressure is only temporary and it soon returns to normal.
So, if blood pressure is measured just once and found to be high, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s always too high. A blood pressure reading taken at the doctors office can also be misleading: Going to the doctor makes some people so nervous that their blood pressure goes up.
So to get reliable readings, blood pressure is measured on several different days and while you are resting. This means sitting down and relaxing on a chair, and waiting about three minutes before taking a measurement so that your circulatory system comes to rest. The upper arm that is being used for the measurement should rest on a table, at about the same height as the heart, while the reading is being done.
You can measure your blood pressure on your own using a digital blood pressure monitor for automated readings or an instrument called a sphygmomanometer for manual readings.
Understanding Your Blood Pressure Reading
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury and is given as 2 numbers:
- systolic pressure the pressure when your heart pushes blood out
- diastolic pressure the pressure when your heart rests between beats
The highest number is always the systolic pressure and it’s always given first. For example, a blood pressure given as “120 over 80” or 120/80mmHg means a systolic pressure of 120mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 80mmHg.
As a general guide:
- normal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg
- high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher
- low blood pressure is considered to be 90/60mmHg or lower
If your reading is between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg, you may be at risk of developing high blood pressure. There are things you can do to help prevent high blood pressure.
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When To Check Blood Pressure
If youre using a blood pressure monitor on your doctors advice, he or she should tell you when to take readings. As a rule, though, you should take them at the same time of day on each occasion, so youre comparing like with like.
Take a few readings each time, a couple of minutes apart, and calculate the average to make the figures more representative. And if your blood pressure monitor doesnt store your readings for you, jot them down in a notebook to get an idea of long-term trends.
References:
Bupa . High blood pressure. Retrieved from www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/heart-blood-circulation/high-blood-pressure-hypertension
American Heart Association . Monitoring your blood pressure at home. Retrieved from www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings/monitoring-your-blood-pressure-at-home
Are The Readings Different Between An Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor And A Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor
It is quite possible that your readings may be different from your upper arm to your wrist as blood pressure varies throughout the human body. All Omron blood pressure monitors, whether upper arm or wrist, are validated in the same manner and have the same accuracy specifications. In terms of which type of blood pressure monitor is best for you, we recommend that you discuss this with your doctor, based on your individual needs.
For more information on Omrons line of upper arm and wrist home blood pressure monitors, click below:
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What Is The Difference Between Monitoring Blood Pressure Using A Home Digital Monitor As Opposed To Getting My Reading When I See My Doctor
Digital monitors measure blood pressure oscillometrically rather than by auscultation. In auscultation, stethoscopes are used to take blood pressure by listening for specific heartbeat sounds which the doctor then uses to determine systolic and diastolic pressures. Oscillometric technology measures the vibration of blood traveling through the arteries and converts the movement into digital readings.
Omron digital blood pressure monitors use the oscillometric method of blood pressure measurement. An oscillometric monitor does not need a stethoscope so the monitor is simple to use.
It is also important to note that Home Blood Pressure monitoring allows you to monitor frequently and share the results with your doctor if you desire.
Why Can’t I Get A Reading From My Omron Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor With Aps
The most common cause of this situation is due to the user not having the unit at heart level. For an Omron wrist blood pressure monitor with A.P.S. technology, please follow the below instructions.
To turn the unit on and take a measurement, press START/STOP button once. The monitor will start beeping. Holding left elbow and arm against body, elevate cuffed wrist to heart level . The monitor will beep faster as you get closer to the Heart Zone. Four slow beeps will sound when in the correct position.
Please note: cuff will not begin inflating until correct position is reached. This is to ensure that you get an accurate reading.
Hold still until cuff deflates and results are displayed. Press START/STOP to turn off the monitor.
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Your Readings Exhibit Prejudice
Prejudice for normal readings significantly contributes to inaccuracies in blood pressure measurement. No doubt, youd be suspicious if a fellow EMT reported blood pressures of 120/80 on three patients in a row. As creatures of habit, human beings expect to hear sounds at certain times and when extraneous interference makes a blood pressure difficult to obtain, there is considerable tendency to hear a normal blood pressure.
Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 20 mm Hg or more, or diastolic blood pressure decrease of 10 mm Hg or more measured after three minutes of standing quietly.
There are circumstances when BP measurement is simply not possible. For many years, trauma resuscitation guidelines taught that rough estimates of systolic BP could be made by assessing pulses. Presence of a radial pulse was thought to correlate with an SBP of at least 80 mm Hg, a femoral pulse with an SBP of at least 70, and a palpable carotid pulse with an SBP over 60. In recent years, vascular surgery and trauma studies have shown this method to be poorly predictive of actual blood pressure .
Noise is a factor that can also interfere with BP measurement. Many ALS units carry doppler units that measure blood flow with ultrasound waves. Doppler units amplify sound and are useful in high noise environments.
Stethoscope Usage And Korotkoff Sounds
The stethoscope is used on bare skin so that a clients clothing does not affect the sounds. The stethoscope does not make sounds louder it simply blocks out extraneous noises so you can better hear the Korotkoff sounds. These sounds are heard through a stethoscope applied over the brachial artery when the blood pressure cuff is deflating. You will not hear anything when you first place the stethoscope over the brachial artery because unobstructed blood flow is silent. The Korotkoff sounds appear after you inflate the cuff and then begin to deflate the cuff. The Korotkoff sounds are the result of the turbulent blood caused by the inflated cuff compressing the artery and oscillations of the arterial wall when the heart beats during cuff deflation.
Here are a few tips:
- Use a high quality stethoscope with durable, thick tubing. Avoid stethoscopes with long tubing because this can distort sounds.
- Ensure quiet surroundings so that you can better hear the Korotkoff sounds.
- Make sure that the slope of the stethoscope earpieces point forward or toward your nose.
- Use a stethoscope that has both bell and diaphragm capacity. See Figure 5.4 for bell and diaphragm.
Film clip 5.2: Opening and closing the bell and diaphragm
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