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How To Manually Take Blood Pressure

Where Can I Get My Blood Pressure Checked

Blood Pressure Measurement: How to Check Blood Pressure Manually

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.

What Does My Blood Pressure Reading Mean

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or lower. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 and 140/90, you may have something called prehypertension. This means that you are at risk for high blood pressure.

Systolic pressure
High blood pressure: Stage 2 160 or higher 100 or over

*If you have diabetes or kidney disease, high blood pressure ranges may be lower than for other people. Or, if you are older than 65, goal blood pressure may be higher. Talk to your doctor about what is considered high blood pressure for you.

Go To The Toilet Before You Wish To Measure Your Blood Pressure Otherwise The Values May Be Altered

  • Find a quite place and relax. Your will need to hear your heartbeat so it is best not to speak along the process.
  • Inform on how to properly take blood pressure, more specifically, on how to take a blood pressure reading. The chart featured above will give you an idea on what the optimal blood pressure is, as well as on hypotension and hypertension values.
  • Learn how to take orthostatic blood pressure.
  • Next, if you want to learn how to take a blood pressure manually, without assistance, it is essential to follow a few simple instructions.

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    Tips For Checking Your Own Blood Pressure

    There are certain factors that can cause blood pressure to temporarily rise. For example, blood pressure normally rises as a result of:

    Try to avoid as many of these factors as you can when taking your blood pressure. Also, try to measure your blood pressure at about the same time each day. Your doctor may want you to check your blood pressure several times during the day to see if it fluctuates.

    Before Checking Your Blood Pressure

    How To Take Blood Pressure Manually With Stethoscope
    • Find a quiet place to check your blood pressure. You will need to listen for your heartbeat.
    • Make sure that you are comfortable and relaxed with a recently emptied bladder .
    • Roll up the sleeve on your arm or remove any tight-sleeved clothing.
    • Rest in a chair next to a table for 5 to 10 minutes. Your arm should rest comfortably at heart level. Sit up straight with your back against the chair, legs uncrossed. Rest your forearm on the table with the palm of your hand facing up.

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    Why Do I Need To Take My Bp

    You may not have any signs or symptoms of high BP. You may need to take your BP regularly to know how often your BP is high. High BP increases your risk for a stroke, heart attack, or kidney disease. You may need to take medicine to keep your BP at a normal level. Write down and keep a log of your BP. Your healthcare provider can use the BP results in your log to see if your BP medicines are working.

    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

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    Instructions For Case Studies

    In our case studies you will be able to use a blood pressure cuff simulator. Using it is similar to using an actual cuff. Follow these steps: 1) Inflate the cuff by pressing the ‘Inflate Cuff’ button several times 2) Deflate the cuff by selecting one of the ‘Open Valve’ settings 3) Close the valve 4) Read the blood pressure values while listening for Korotkoff Sounds 5) Switch between dial and mercury sphygmomanometers 6) Please note that the image to the left is not a working simulation. It is an image for instructions only. Use our cases for the working simulation.

    How To Check Your Blood Pressure Manually

    How to Take a Blood Pressure Manually and Correctly.

    To manually take your blood pressure, youll need a blood pressure cuff with a squeezable balloon and an aneroid monitor, also known as a sphygmomanometer, and a stethoscope. An aneroid monitor is a number dial. If possible, enlist the help of a friend or family member, because it can be difficult to use this method on your own.

    Here are the steps to taking your blood pressure at home:

  • Before taking your blood pressure, make sure youre relaxed. Position your arm straight, palm facing up on a level surface, such as a table. Youll place the cuff on your bicep and squeeze the balloon to inflate the cuff. Using the numbers on the aneroid monitor, inflate the cuff about 20-30 mm Hg over your normal blood pressure. If you dont know your normal blood pressure, ask your doctor how much you should inflate the cuff.
  • Once the cuff is inflated, place the stethoscope with the flat side down on the inside of your elbow crease, toward the inner part of your arm where the major artery of your arm is located. Be sure to test the stethoscope before using it to make sure you can hear properly. You can do that by tapping on the stethoscope. Its also helpful to have a high-quality stethoscope and to ensure that the ears of the stethoscope are pointed in toward your eardrums.
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    How To Take Manual Blood Pressure In 7 Easy Steps

  • Roll up the sleeve .
  • Sit down on a chair and rest your arm on a table at your heart level. Use a pillow if needed.
  • Place the Cuffs on your bare skin. Make sure they are tight.
  • Position the stethoscope at the crease of the arm to locate your strongest pulse.
  • Inflate and deflate the cuff .
  • Listen for a first and second thump sound. The first occurrence of rhythmic sounds will indicate the systolic blood pressure, while the second, the diastolic blood pressure.
  • Take a second reading. To check the accuracy of your blood pressure take a second reading on the other arm too. Wait a few minutes between readings.
  • How Can I Measure My Blood Pressure At Home

    Talk with your health care team about regularly measuring your blood pressure at home, also called self-measured blood pressure monitoring.

    SMBP means you regularly use a personal blood pressure measurement device away from a doctors office or hospitalusually at home. 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.

    Evidence shows that people with high blood pressure are more likely to lower their blood pressure if they use SMBP combined with support from their health care team than if they dont use SMBP.3

    Use these additional tips for SMBP:4

    • Use a blood pressure log pdf icon to record your blood pressure measurements.
    • Take your blood pressure at the same time every day.
    • Take at least two readings, 1 or 2 minutes apart.

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    How To Take Blood Pressure Manually

    This article was co-authored by Michael Corsilles, ND. Dr. Corsilles is a Naturopath and a Physician Assistant in Washington. He completed his Naturopathic medical training at Bastyr University in 2003, and received his Physician Assistant certification from the University of Washington in 2010.There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 15 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 574,893 times.

    If you or someone you know is at risk for high or low blood pressure, you may want to invest in a manual blood pressure kit for home use. Learning how to take your blood pressure manually may take a little practice, but it is actually quite easy once you learn how. You’ll need to know what to wear, when to take your blood pressure, how to take it accurately, and how to interpret the results. With a little practice you’ll know how to find your systolic and diastolic pressure readings and what those numbers actually mean.

    What Does Your Blood Pressure Reading Mean

    How To Take Blood Pressure Manually Without Cuff

    If this is your first time taking your blood pressure, discuss the results with your doctor. Blood pressure is a very individualized vital sign reading, which means it can be very different for each person. Some people have naturally low blood pressure all the time, for example, while others may run on the higher side.

    In general, a normal blood pressure is considered anything less than 120/80. Your own personal blood pressure will depend on your gender, age, weight, and any medical conditions you have. If you do register a blood pressure reading of 120/80 or over, wait two to five minutes and recheck.

    If its still high, talk to your doctor to rule out hypertension. If your blood pressure ever goes over 180 systolic or over 120 diastolic after a repeat reading, seek emergency medical care right away.

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    Is There Anything Else I Need To Know About A Blood Pressure Measurement

    If you were diagnosed with high blood pressure, your provider may recommend one or more of the following lifestyle changes.

    • Exercise regularly. Staying active can help lower your blood pressure and also help manage your weight. Most adults should aim for 150 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 1500 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.

    How Do I Make Sure I Am Taking A Good Reading

    Now that weve gotten the background information out of the way, its time to get started!

    • Sit with your back straight, your legs uncrossed, and your feet flat on the floor.
    • Place the cuff on your left arm or wrist .
    • For upper arm monitors, wrap the cuff around the middle of your bare upper arm, about ½ above the elbow. It should be fastened snugly, but you should be able to slide two fingers underneath the cuff. Place the air hose on the inside of the arm near the crook of your elbow so that the artery position mark is aligned with your brachial artery.
    • For wrist monitors, with the palm facing upwards, attach the monitor to the inside of your wrist. Fasten securely with the top edge of the cuff aligned with the crease of your wrist.
  • Rest your arm on a table so cuff is at heart level.
  • For upper arm monitors, the cuff around your upper arm should be even with your heart. Your hand should rest on the table, palm up.
  • For wrist monitors, youll need to bend your elbow to bring your wrist to heart level. Positioning your wrist at heart level is critical for an accurate measurement.
  • Press start. During your measurement, do not talk, move, or eat. Any one of these things can impact your measurement.
  • Thats all there is to it!

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    Determining Maximum Inflation Pressure

    Healthcare providers determine the maximum inflation pressure before they take blood pressure. The maximum inflation pressure is the number on the sphygmomanometer that the cuff is inflated to when measuring blood pressure. If you do not determine the maximum pressure inflation, an auscultatory gap could go unrecognized, and as a result the blood pressure could be underestimated .

    An auscultatory gap is a silent interval when the Korotkoff sounds go absent and then reappear while you are deflating the cuff during blood pressure measurement. This gap is an abnormal finding and can occur due to arterial stiffness and arteriosclerotic disease. It is typically observed in people with a history of hypertension who have been treated with prolonged antihypertensive medication.

    To determine the maximum inflation pressure, start by palpating the brachial or radial pulse while inflating the cuff. Inflate the cuff 30 mm Hg quickly past the point when you obliterate the pulse . If you still cannot feel the pulse, use that value to start auscultating that value is the maximum inflation pressure number.

    When taking blood pressure, if an auscultatory gap is observed, document the first systolic sound and diastolic sound only. Report the presence of an auscultatory gap in narrative notes.

    Common Causes Of Inaccurate Readings

    How to Take Blood Pressure

    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.

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    If You Get A High Blood Pressure Reading

    • A single high reading is not an immediate cause for alarm. If you get a reading that is slightly or moderately higher than normal, take your blood pressure a few more times and consult your healthcare professional to verify if there s a health concern or whether there may be any issues with your monitor.
    • If your blood pressure readings suddenly exceed 180/120 mm Hg, wait five minutes and test again. If your readings are still unusually high, contact your doctor immediately. You could be experiencing a hypertensive crisis.
    • If your blood pressure is higher than 180/120 mm Hg and you are experiencing signs of possible organ damage such as chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness/weakness, change in vision, difficulty speaking, do not wait to see if your pressure comes down on its own. Call 911.

    Before You Measure Your Blood Pressure

    • Avoid things that can raise your blood pressure in the short term. Dont measure your blood pressure within half an hour of eating, smoking, drinking caffeinated drinks such as coffee, or exercising. These can all raise your blood pressure temporarily. If you need to use the toilet, go before you measure your blood pressure.
    • Wear loose-fitting clothes. Wear a short-sleeved t-shirt or something with sleeves you can push up easily, nothing tight. This is so that you can fit the cuff around your arm.
    • Rest for five minutes before you take your reading. Sit down somewhere quiet, ideally at a desk or table. Have your back supported with your arm resting on a firm surface and your feet flat on the floor. Stay in this position while you take your blood pressure.
    • Make sure your arm is supported and at the same level as your heart. Position yourself so that your arm is resting on a surface and is at the same height as your heart. Keep your arm and hand relaxed, not tensed.
    • Make sure you are relaxed and comfortable. If you are anxious or uncomfortable, your blood pressure will rise temporarily.

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    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.

    S On How To Take A Blood Pressure Manually

    Blood pressure measurement

    1. Perform hand hygiene and gather supplies

    • Supplies needed: stethoscope and blood pressure cuff with a sphygmomanometer
    • Tip: always use the right size cuff

    2. Have the patient sitting or lying down with the arm at heart level. Turn the arm outward with the palm up. Be sure the legs are uncrossed.

    • Find the brachial artery:
    • This is the most common site for checking the blood pressure and is a major artery in the upper arm that divides into the radial and ulnar artery.
    • To find this artery, extend the arm and have the palm facing upward. The pulse point is found near the top of the cubital fossa, which is a triangular area that is in front of the elbow.

    3. Place and secure the blood pressure cuff on the patients upper arm. Place it about 2 inches above the elbow. In addition, make sure the arrow on the blood pressure cuff is lined up with the brachial artery. Dont place the blood pressure cuff over clothes or the gown.

    4. First, we will estimate the systolic pressure by palpating the brachial artery and inflating the cuff to the point where the pulse disappears. Note that number on the gauge when you no longer feel the brachial artery. Then deflate the cuff and wait 30 to 60 seconds.

    5. Place your stethoscope in your ears, palpate the brachial artery again, and place the bell of the stethoscope lightly on the brachial pulse site .

    7. Deflate the cuff slowly with the valve .

    10. Open the valve completely and let the air leave.

    11. Remove the cuff.

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