Preventive Measures: How To Read Blood Pressure Monitor
Even if;youve got;healthy numbers,;you ought to;take preventive measures;to stay;your;vital sign;within the;normal range. This can help you lower your risk of developing hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
As you age, prevention becomes even more important. Systolic pressure tends to;sneak up;once youre older than 50, and its;a much more;important trusted Source in predicting;the danger;of coronary;heart condition;and other conditions.
Certain health conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease, may also play a role. Talk to your doctor about how;youll;manage your overall health;to assist;prevent the onset of hypertension. How to Read Blood Pressure Monitor
The following preventive measures can help lower or;debar;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.
Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
Blood pressure tests can also be carried out at home using your own digital blood pressure monitor.
This can give a better reflection of your blood pressure, as being tested in somewhere like a GP surgery can make you feel anxious and can affect the result. It can also allow you to monitor your condition more easily in the long term.
You can buy a variety of low-cost monitors so you can test your blood pressure at home or while you’re out and about.
It’s important to make sure you use equipment that has been properly tested. The British Hypertension Society has information about validated blood pressure monitors you can buy.
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Automated Blood Pressure Machines
The easiest and most accurate way to measure the blood pressure at home is to buy an automated blood pressure monitor with an upper arm cuff.
The instructions for use may vary with each machine, and a person should follow them carefully to ensure proper operation. If the instructions are difficult to understand, a local pharmacy or doctors office will be able to show a person how to operate the machine correctly.
Doctors may ask a person to bring their at-home machine to the office during their next visit to test the accuracy compared to the doctors reading.
Using a high-quality machine is important, as inaccurate readings may cause unnecessary or harmful changes in medications or treatments.
A variety of blood pressure monitors are available for purchase online and in most drug stores. A person may wish to speak to a doctor about which brand they recommend.
There are apps and wrist devices that claim to measure the blood pressure, but these results are frequently inaccurate and are not a reliable way to monitor a persons health.
Apps that log blood pressure results may be helpful for people who need to take regular blood pressure tests, however.
Recording a set of readings into these apps may help doctors identify trends in blood pressure and recommend treatments.
Blood pressure readings fall into the following categories:
| Blood pressure status |
Dosmarter Smart Fitness Watch
The three-axis accelerometer inside the DoSmarter Smart Fitness Watch allows it to accurately record your activity in 10 sport modes, including swimming. It has an all-day heart rate and blood pressure monitor, too, so you can review your health data and see your progress over time. Extra features include a sedentary alarm, sleep quality assessment, and womens health tracking.
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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 |
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.
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How Is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed
To figure out your blood pressure rate, your health care provider takes blood pressure readings at different times. You need more than 1 reading because blood pressure changes depending on what you are doing and varies during the day. For example, your blood pressure can increase when you are nervous or in a hurry.
If your blood pressure is high while with your health care provider but normal otherwise, you may just be nervous. This effect is common. Even people already being treated for high blood pressure go through this.
What matters is what happens to your blood pressure outside your health care providers office. If you have high blood pressure, you should use a home blood pressure monitor. Ask your health care provider how to use the monitor correctly.
Factors That Can Affect A Measurement
Following instructions carefully when measuring your blood pressure is important because so many factors can affect your reading. It can help to know some of the common factors that can affect your blood pressure in case your blood pressure machine gives an unexpected result. The CDC lists some of them .
- Having exercised within the past half-hour may lead to an increased blood pressure reading
- Caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco use within the past half-hour may increase blood pressure
- Having a full bladder raises blood pressure
- Sitting cross-legged or having your arm lower than chest level can raise your reading
- Having eaten within the past half-hour can cause post-prandial hypotension, or a drop in blood pressure, among some people, with hypertension, diabetes, and older age being risk factors
- Taking blood pressure with the cuff over the clothes rather than your skin can make your reading lower
If you are ever unsure about whether your blood pressure machine is working properly, you can compare it with one in a medical facility. Call your healthcare provider or a local pharmacy to see if you can check your blood pressure monitor against theirs.
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What Abnormal Results Mean
If your blood pressure is between 120/80 and 130/80 mm Hg, you have elevated blood pressure.
- Your provider will recommend lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down to a normal range.
- Medicines are rarely used at this stage.
If your blood pressure is higher than 130/80 but lower than 140/90 mm Hg, you have Stage 1 high blood pressure. When thinking about the best treatment, you and your provider must consider:
- If you have no other diseases or risk factors, your provider may recommend lifestyle changes and repeat the measurements after a few months.
- If your blood pressure remains above 130/80 but lower than 140/90 mm Hg, your provider may recommend medicines to treat high blood pressure.
- If you have other diseases or risk factors, your provider may be more likely to start medicines at the same time as lifestyle changes.
If your blood pressure is higher than 140/90 mm Hg, you have Stage 2 high blood pressure. Your provider will most likely start you on medicines and recommend lifestyle changes.
Most of the time, high blood pressure does not cause symptoms.
What Happens During A Blood Pressure Test
A blood pressure test includes the following steps:
- You will sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
- You will rest your arm on a table or other surface, so your arm is level with your heart. You may be asked to roll up your sleeve.
- Your provider will wrap a blood pressure cuff around your arm. A blood pressure cuff is a strap-like device. It should fit snugly around your upper arm, with the bottom edge placed just above your elbow.
- Your provider will inflate the blood pressure cuff using a small hand pump or by pressing a button on an automated device.
- Your provider will measure the pressure manually or with an automated device.
- If manually, he or she will place a stethoscope over the major artery in your upper arm to listen to the blood flow and pulse as the cuff inflates and deflates.
- If using an automated device, the blood pressure cuff automatically inflates, deflates, and measures pressure.
This test only takes about one minute to complete.
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What Is Normal Blood Pressure According To Age
Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. Its measurement is recorded by two numbers. The first is measured after the heart contracts and is highest. The second is measured before the heart contracts and the lowest.;A blood pressure cuff is used to measure the pressure. Elevation of blood pressure is called “hypertension“.
The chart shows normal blood pressure according to age both male and female.; Diastolic blood pressure and Systolic Blood Pressure are included in the chart.
Normal Blood Pressure By Age
| Age |
Blood Pressure Thats Too Low
Low blood pressure is known as hypotension. In adults, a blood pressure reading of 90/60 mm Hg or below is often considered hypotension. This can be dangerous because blood pressure that is too low doesnt supply your body and heart with enough oxygenated blood.
Some potential causes of hypotension can include:
- heart problems
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Beitony Smart Bracelet Activity Tracker
Those who love the great outdoors will enjoy the Beitony Smart Bracelet Activity Tracker. From hiking to running, cycling, climbing, or swimming, it records your heart rate and calories burned in its adjustable tracking mode. While it doesnt track your blood pressure throughout the day, you can take a reading using the testing function and see the results synced to its companion app.
The Blood Pressure Chart In Canada: Taking And Interpreting The Numbers
The best blood pressure monitor in Canada used in healthcare offices is the AOBP monitor. AOBP stands for Automated Office Blood Pressure.
Outside of the doctor’s office, a home blood pressure monitor will suffice. In fact, health experts recommend their use for patients with insufficient BP control. Health experts refer to this as home blood pressure monitoring .
Here are some of the guidelines to keep in mind when buying and using a blood pressure monitor.
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Gideatech Smart Watch With Full Touchscreen
The square display on the GideaTech Smart Watch has a full-screen touch design, as well as a high-resolution and illuminated monitor, making it incredibly easy to read. Ideal for those with an active lifestyle, the carbon case has excellent impact resistance and comes with both leather and nylon straps for comfort and style. Not only does it track your sleep and movement, but it also monitors your heart rate and blood pressure.
Change Your Diet Patterns
As we mentioned, chronic stress plays a significant role in high blood pressure and anxiety symptoms. Many of us are aware of the mental aspect of stress. However, the physical is just as important, especially for hypertension development.
Cut back on processed foods, fast food, and excess animal fats. Many of these items are prepared with too many omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6s cause mental and physical and stress.
First, they can promote brain inflammation that leads to Alzheimer’s Disease. Furthermore, excess omega-6s can clog arteries, making it harder for blood vessels to travel. In turn, too many omega-6s can increase the risk of heart disease.
Eat leaner proteins, such as wild-caught fish, tofu, nuts, and seeds. These are rich in omega-3s that can bypass the blood-brain barrier to prevent inflammation. Supplement with;Tranquility Labs’ CogniDHA for extra support!
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How To Read Your Blood Pressure Results
If you have high blood pressure , your doctor may have suggested that you measure your blood pressure at home regularly, such as weekly, daily, or more. The readings you get can provide critical information about your blood pressure and heart health, and whether you may need adjustments in your medications, lifestyle, or other parts of your treatment plan.;
Knowing how to read your blood pressure results can help you stay in control of your health, since you are the most critical member of your care team. This is some information about taking blood pressure at home and how you can use the readings to your advantage, especially if youre using Lark for coaching.
Taking Your Pulse Versus Checking Your Blood Pressure
While both are indications of health, blood pressure and heart rate are two separate measurements. Learn more about the difference between blood pressure and heart rate.
Systolic is less than 120 and my diastolic is less than 80
Great job! Your blood pressure is normal. To keep your readings in this range, stick with heart-healthy habits like following a balanced diet;and getting regular exercise.
Systolic is 120 129 and my diastolic is less than 80
The good news is that you dont have high blood pressure. However, your numbers fall within the Elevated category, making you more likely to develop high blood pressure unless you take action to control it. Ready to make some small changes that have big impacts? Healthy lifestyle;choices are a great place to start.
Systolic is 130 139 or my diastolic is 80 89
You are in the first stage of hypertension, but there are actions you can take to get your blood pressure under control. Your doctor will speak to you about small changes that can make a big difference and other BP Raisers. In addition, monitoring blood pressure outside of the doctors office is important for BP control.
Systolic is 140 or higher or my diastolic is 90 or higher
Systolic is higher than 180 and/or my diastolic is higher than 120
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff.
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What Are The Different Blood Pressure Categories
Blood pressure can be categorized into five different types, namely:
Normal: Blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg is considered to be normal.
Elevated: When blood pressure readings consistently range from 120 to 129 systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic, it is known as elevated blood pressure. People with elevated blood pressure are at risk of high blood pressure unless steps are taken to control it.
Hypertension stage I: In this condition, blood pressure readings consistently range from 130 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 mm Hg diastolic. Doctors may prescribe blood pressure medications and some lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of heart diseases and stroke.
Hypertension stage II: In this condition, blood pressure readings consistently range from 140/90 mm Hg or higher. The doctors may prescribe a combination of both medications and lifestyle changes.
Hypertensive crisis: This is the most critical condition and requires emergency medical attention. In this condition, the blood pressure suddenly exceeds 180/120 mm Hg. Contact the physician immediately if the following symptoms are experienced:
- Difficulty speaking