What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the pressure blood exerts on the walls of blood vessels. It is important to know how to calculate blood pressure. With each heartbeat, blood pressure fluctuates between the lowest diastolic pressure and the highest systolic pressure.
- Systolic blood pressure shows pressure in arteries when the heart contracts and pushes blood into arteries.
- Diastolic blood pressure shows pressure in arteries when the heart muscle is relaxed. It is the minimum pressure in arteries and reflects peripheral vessel resistance.
The typical value of arterial blood pressure of a healthy person (systolic/diastolic) is 120/80 mm Hg. The difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure is called pulse pressure and is normally 30-50 mmHg.
Why Is Blood Flow So Important?
Blood pressure is always measured on different days. If any of these measurements are too high, it means high blood pressure. The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. Normal blood pressure for adults is considered near 120-140 mm Hg. The diastolic value is 90 mm Hg. It makes sense to measure pressure on both hands at first measuring, as it is sometimes high only on one side. Increasingly higher values are used to estimate blood pressure. As a result, it is sufficient to measure the blood pressure only in an arm with higher values. If the systolic value exceeds 120-140 mm Hg or the diastolic value is 90 mm Hg, or both values are higher than usual values, it’s high pressure.
High blood pressure is often unnoticed by most people. It can cause symptoms such as dizziness or blurred vision, only in case of very high pressure. Moreover, high blood pressure increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. Therefore, if you or your doctor suspect you have high blood pressure, it is important to check it regularly. There are several ways to lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of long-term health effects If your bp measurements are often too high.
It is important to know how to check blood pressure and make it 2-3 times per day. It can change because of exercise, stress, pain, extreme heat, or cold. But the increase in blood pressure is only temporary.
How to Measure Blood Pressure and Get True Results
If your blood pressure is measured only once, it wouldn’t mean you`ll always have high blood pressure. Blood pressure measurements at the doctor’s office can also be misleading. When people see a doctor, some get so nervous that their blood pressure increases. You must measure blood pressure for several days at rest to obtain a reliable measurement. You should sit in a chair and relax for three minutes before taking measurements to regain consciousness and rest. 30-60 minutes before the measurement, you should exclude smoking, tonic drinks, caffeine, alcohol, and physical activity. Close your eyes and think about something beautiful. The arm used for the measurement should be on a table at the same height as the heart during the measurement. You can measure your blood pressure using a digital monitor or sphygmomanometer for manual measurement.
Digital blood pressure monitors are often used on the wrist, but you can also place them on your finger or arm and activate them by touching a button. They measure blood pressure automatically based on changes in the volume of blood in the arteries. When measuring blood pressure at the wrist, it is important to keep your hand at heart level. Otherwise, this can affect blood pressure measurement values. The pounding sound will stop as soon as air pressure in the cuff falls below the diastolic blood pressure in the brachial artery. Then the blood vessels remain open. When the pounding stops, you can measure the diastolic blood pressure with the pressure meter.
Using Sphygmomanometer
Digital meters can be inaccurate, especially for people who have atherosclerosis. In such a case, you have to measure your blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer.
The pressure gauge consists of three parts:
- Inflatable cuffs with a pressure gauge to measure the air pressure in the hose
- Shoulder Artery Stethoscope
- The scale of the pressure gauge is 0 ～ 300 mmHg. The pressure gauge has a rubber pump to pump the cuff and a button to release air.
First, place the cuff around the bare and stretch out the upper arm. Second, stretch out the upper arm, and inflate until no blood can flow through the brachial artery. Third, the air slowly leaks out of your breath.
As soon as air pressure in the cuff falls below systolic blood pressure in the brachial artery, blood will flow through the arm. You’ll hear a pounding sound when the arteries close again and the walls of the vessels hit each other after a heartbeat. The sound can be heard by placing the stethoscope close to the elbow. When you hear this pounding for the first time, you’ll measure your systolic blood pressure with the pressure meter.
What if My results are Extremely High?
If your result is higher than normal, you have to read our next articles on the best seven tips how to improve blood circulation and how to improve blood flow by eating properly. Then, you have to follow the tips listed there. You have to understand that blood pressure is a complex thing. We have to eat properly, do sports activities, and sleep enough. It is very complicated to follow the right habits and eliminate harmful ones. However, if you follow all tips in future articles, you will be healthy and happy. We can’t be happy without good health.
You also must visit a doctor every 6-12 months. Your doctor may recommend ambulatory blood pressure measurement, and you should wear a 24-hour blood pressure cuff. It is connected to a small, portable measuring device that automatically measures your blood pressure at a set time and records all measurements. For example, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is used to check your blood pressure level changes significantly day and night. It would help if you did what you normally do within these 24 hours. People who are particularly active at certain times of the day may want to keep a diary. This way, your doctor can better understand how to interpret the values when assessing the recorded values. When your limbs do not get enough blood, your hands or feet go numb and get cold. If your skin is light, your legs may become blue. Poor blood circulation can also dry the skin, make your nails brittle, and cause hair loss.
Nina Burkovskaya is a senior content writer at Raisetwice since 2020. She has 12 years of yoga experience and 5 years experience of motivational coaching. On a free time loves to read biographies of the famous people and go for a walk with her dog.