Blood pressure is a vital measurement to check heart-healthy and its functioning. The other vital measurements are breathing rate, heart rate and body temperature. Not just heart but these signs also allow us to keep a check on our general well-being. Changes in either of these vitals are the first sign that something id not right with your body. These are initial and major signs of an underlying health problem.
While it is always better to get your blood pressure checked by a doctor, you can assess it yourself too. The one requirement for accurate BP measurement is the BP kit. The closest measurement can be done through a blood pressure cuff. Follow the tips given in this article if you wish to measure your BP at home but first, buy the equipment.
Basics of measuring the blood pressure
Blood pressure is the value of the force put upon the blood vessels by blood. The reading is two-numbered that indicates the blood pressure inside the arteries when the blood flows. The upper number(systolic pressure) depicts the pressure inside the arteries during the contraction of the heart. The lower number(diastolic pressure), on the other hand, shows the pressure inside the arteries when the heart is resting.
Normal blood pressure is considered to be 120/80 mm Hg. When the value increases above this, your blood pressure is high.
The possible reasons for high BP are:
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- Stress
- High cholesterol
- Fear
- Plaque buildup on the arterial walls
Accuracy in blood pressure checks is very important as this can bring health issues without a warning! Yes. High BP doesn’t show any symptoms until it reaches an extremely high point.
It is always best to get it checked by a doctor but patients of hypertension should keep a BP check machine at home for the instant measure.
Also Read: Recurrent Chest Pain Could Be Sign Of Heart Attack
Manual Blood Pressure Check
Here is the list of equipment required to manually check blood pressure:
- A stethoscope
- An aneroid monitor
- Blood pressure arm cuff that has a squeezable balloon attached to it
Now follow these steps:
- Sit in a totally relaxed position and do not take any stress.
- Place your arm on the table.
- Tie the blood pressure cuff on the bicep.
- Now press the balloon to put pressure.
- Check the aneroid monitor.
- Keep increasing the pressure over 30 mm Hg above 180 mm Hg which is the normal blood pressure level.
- When the blood pressure cuff gets inflated properly, place the end of the stethoscope inside the inflated cuff on the bicep.
- Wear the stethoscope to be able to listen to the beats.
- Now, slowly deflate the inflated balloon and carefully listen to the sound.
- When you hear the first beat, check the aneroid monitor and note down the number that pointer is showing. This number is systolic pressure.
- Listen through until the sound of normal heartbeat stops and then note down the number on the aneroid monitor. This is the diastolic pressure.
- These readings show accurate blood pressure.
Important points:
- Tie the cuff on bare arm with its size adjusted to the bicep size.
- Don’t talk in between.
- Relax before measuring blood pressure.
- Keep the back straight and arm rested on the table.
- Urinate before measuring as a full bladder may affect the reading.
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