How To Check Blood Pressure Without Equipment

When To See The Doctor

The doctor should check your monitor at least once a year. This ensures that the measurements are accurate.

Only a doctor can diagnose you with high blood pressure. Contact your doctor if you have high readings for several days. Be sure to take your blood pressure log with you to the visit.

Hypotension is low blood pressure. This occurs when your systolic pressure is consistently below 90 or is 25 points below your normal reading. Contact your doctor if you have low readings. Hypotension can be a sign of shock, which is life threatening. Call your doctor right away if you are dizzy or lightheaded.

Common Causes Of Inaccurate Readings

A number of factors can affect your blood pressure and heart rate. If your numbers are unusually high or low, make some adjustments before trying again:

• Stress. When youre worried, stress hormones temporarily elevate both your blood pressure and heart rate. Avoid stressors before checking your blood pressure at home.
• Drug and alcohol use. Tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine can affect your numbers, so avoid stimulants and depressants.
• Other medicines. Talk with your doctor about prescription and over-the-counter medicines that may interfere with an accurate reading.

Once you determine your heart rate and blood pressure, record them in a journal or app. Try taking your pulse and checking your blood pressure around the same time every day to establish a personalized baseline. Its that baseline your doctor will use to help you determine what your numbers mean.

To schedule a comprehensive heart screening, visit UPMCs Heart and Vascular Institute.

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices/abpm

This is most commonly used if there is a significant disparity between the blood pressure readings acquired at home and at a doctors clinic.

It is a small device worn by the patient at home or anywhere he goes. It also shows the blood pressure readings automatically and accurately every thirty minutes even if the patient is asleep. This device is usually given to pregnant women and patients with the so-called White Coat Syndrome discussed above.

ABPM comes with an arm cuff or wrist cuff and should be worn the whole day even while doing chores and exercises.

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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.

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.

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When And Where To Get Your Blood Pressure Tested

You should have a blood pressure test if you’re worried about your blood pressure at any time.

If you’re over 40, you can have this test done as part of an NHS Health Check, which is offered to adults in England aged 40 to 74 every 5 years.

If you have been diagnosed with high or low blood pressure, or you have a high risk of developing either, you may need more frequent checks of your blood pressure.

You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including:

• your local GP surgery
• some workplaces

Where Can I Learn How To Take My Blood Pressure Myself

In Germany and other countries, people with high blood pressure can attend patient education courses that teach a number of things, including how to measure your blood pressure. As part of specialized disease management programs for people who have narrow coronary arteries , statutory health insurers offer additional healthcare services. These include patient education about high blood pressure. Some doctors practices don’t offer these courses, though.

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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

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What Is The Best Way To Measure Blood Pressure

The most accurate way to measure blood pressure is using a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. When you get your blood pressure measured at a medical office, your doctor uses a sphygmomanometer that includes a dial or column, pump, arm cuff, and stethoscope:

• The cuff is wrapped around your arm while your arm is kept at the same level as your heart.
• The pump tightens the cuff around your arm, putting pressure on the artery.
• Your doctor then releases the pressure and uses a stethoscope to measure your pulse rate.
• Your doctor records the pressure on the dial as your blood starts to flow back to your arm and checks two measurement points to determine your blood pressure reading.

Where Can I Get My Blood Pressure Checked

You can get your blood pressure measured

• By a health care team member at a doctors office.
• At a pharmacy that has a digital blood pressure measurement machine.
• With a home blood pressure monitor that you can use yourself.

Take this form pdf icon with you on your first blood pressure visit to record important blood pressure-related information.

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Taking Blood Pressure Of Children

Measuring the blood pressure of children is more difficult.. Extra care and time is required by the examiner. All the factors influencing blood pressure such as fear, confusion, activity, respiration and temperature are likely to be greater in children than in adults. The child must be relaxed in small children you have to allow for the effects of crying and tension.

For children below five of age and infants the sounds are softer and it becomes difficult to take accurate BP measurements by the standard method. If available, an electronic BP apparatus working with ultrasound may give better results.

The general recommendations on measuring BP in adults also apply to children, but a few points require extra attention:

* Bladder size. Because of the variation in the size of the arm in children, choosing the correct bladder size is important. The bladder width should cover about two-thirds of the length of the upper arm and it should be long enough to encircle the arm completely. The length of the bladder is more important than the width. If the correct bladder size is not available, it is better to use a bladder which is too large, rather than one that is too small. Paediatric units should have a selection of cuffs available.

* Stethoscope. The stethoscope should have a paediatric bell or diaphragm.

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What Is Normal Blood Pressure And When Is Blood Pressure Considered To Be High

Blood pressure is always measured on a number of different days and when you are at rest. If several of these measurements are too high, you are said to have high blood pressure, even if only one of the two either the systolic or the diastolic one is high. The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. In adults, blood pressure is considered to be normal under a systolic value of 140 mmHg and under a diastolic value of 90 mmHg.

When taking your blood pressure for the first time, it makes sense to measure the blood pressure in both arms, because it’s sometimes high on only one side. The values that are higher are always the ones used for assessing blood pressure. After that it is enough to measure the blood pressure only in the arm that produced the higher reading. A person is considered to have high blood pressure if the systolic value is over 140 mmHg, the diastolic value is over 90 mmHg, or if both are higher than these readings.

Table: Normal and high blood pressure readings

systolic over 140 mmHg and/or diastolic over 90 mmHg

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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?

Look For Femoral Artery

It is excreted from the stomach through the thigh. See the diagram above. This gives a light sensation to the centre of the thigh and both sides of the abdomen.

You can equally palpate yours by placing your index and middle finger between the abdomen and the thigh as shown in the diagram above.

Note: Blood pressure here is relatively low. In most patients with palpable femoral pulse, the minimum systolic blood pressure is 70-80 mm Hg.

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Place your index and middle finger of your hand on the inner wrist of the other arm, just below the base of the thumb. You should feel a tapping or pulsing against your fingers. Count the number of taps you feel in 10 seconds. Multiply that number by 6 to find out your heart-rate for one minute.

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How Do I Know If My Monitor Is Accurate Or If I Am Using It Correctly

Once you buy your device, have your doctor check it for accuracy. They should check your monitor once a year. On your own, periodically check the tubing for cracks and leaks. Proper care and storage are necessary. Make sure the tubing is not twisted when you store it. Keep it away from heat.

Ask your doctor or nurse to teach you how to use your blood pressure monitor correctly. This will help you achieve good results in controlling your blood pressure.

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Second Step: Measure Blood Pressure

Now, you can start to measure blood pressure. Place the bell of the cleansed stethoscope over the brachial artery using a light touch and complete seal. Inflate the cuff to the maximum pressure inflation number . Open the valve slightly. Deflate the cuff slowly and evenly at about 2 mm Hg per second. See Film Clip 5.3 which focuses on the speed of the needle when deflating the blood pressure cuff.

Note the points at which you hear the first appearance of Korotkoff sounds and the point at which the Korotkoff sounds go silent . These sounds are called Korotkoff sounds and vary in quality from tapping, swooshing, muffled sounds, and silence. The pressure at which the first Korotkoff sound is noted signifies the systolic pressure, while the pressure at which the Korotkoff sounds are no longer heard marks the diastolic pressure. See Audio Clip 5.1 to listen to Korotkoff sounds and noting systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Alternatively, if viewing textbook as a pdf, use this link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/lPlYNt8cVnI?rel=0

Film clip 5.3: Deflation rate of sphygmomanometer

Alternatively, if viewing textbook as a pdf, use this link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/QbGPzUluT5c?rel=0

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.

Figure 5.4: Stethoscope with bell and diaphragm

Film clip 5.2: Opening and closing the bell and diaphragm

Alternatively, if viewing textbook as a pdf, use this link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/rp_4h-tCmvs?rel=0

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How To Check Blood Pressure Without Equipment

In a healthy young adult, the average value of blood pressure is usually 120/80 millimeters of mercury .

But what do these numbers mean? The first number represents the systolic pressure or amount of pressure generated while the heart pumps blood and then contracts for the blood to leave the heart.

In simple terms, the systolic pressure measures the pressure created by the contractions of the heart.

On the other hand, the second value measures the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure existing in the arteries of the heart while it rests.

Expressed in simple terms, the diastolic pressure readings measure the pressure of the heart when it is at rest.

These two figures combine to give doctors an accurate reading of heart muscle function.

If the numbers are too high, this is the first indication of a possible condition called high blood pressure or hypertension.

Although it is impossible to adequately measure blood pressure without some type of equipment, you can make a good estimate of the systolic pressure.

To measure the diastolic pressure, however, you should use a blood pressure monitor and a stethoscope. No measurement requires the use of high-tech equipment or a doctors diploma.

Through this article, you will learn how to measure blood pressure with little or no equipment.

Look For Your Radial Artery

To do this, you first need to determine the heart rate in the left hand by looking for what is called the radial artery. Locating the radial artery would help you arrive at a palpable radial pulse. This will give you the basic information you need to know if your systolic blood pressure is normal.

The radial artery is located under the thumb and slightly above the wrist.

It is important to understand that this is a rough estimate that you will only get if your systolic blood pressure is not low. If you feel the pulse without problems, then the pressure in the pump is 60-80 mm Hg.

To do this, you first need to determine the heart rate in the left hand by looking for what is called the radial artery. Locating the radial artery would help you arrive at a palpable radial pulse. This will give you the basic information you need to know if your systolic blood pressure is normal.

The radial artery is located under the thumb and slightly above the wrist.

It is important to understand that this is a rough estimate that you will only get if your systolic blood pressure is not low. If you feel the pulse without problems, then the pressure in the pump is 60-80 mm Hg.

• Place two fingers, preferably index and middle, under the folds of your wrist, next to your thumb.
• Do not use your thumb as it has a strong enough pulse to prevent this from happening.
• If you feel a sharp pulse, it means that your systolic blood pressure is above 80 mmHg.

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