Blood circulates through the vessels under pressure, which ensures its constant supply to all organs and systems. This is how they are fed with oxygen and substances necessary for normal functioning.
What is blood pressure
The volume of blood pumped by the heart, combined with the resistance of the walls of blood vessels, creates blood pressure - one of the most important indicators characterizing the overall health of the body and the state of the entire circulatory system.
The blood pressure is not the same in all areas: for example, its greatest strength is noted in the left ventricle - that is, at the exit from the heart. The lowest pressure is in the right atrium and veins.
The pressure of the blood expelled at the moment of contraction of the heart is called systolic (in everyday life it is called upper), and the pressure that occurs when the heart muscle is maximally relaxed is called diastolic (lower).
What indicator can be considered normal?
However, despite the fact that in medical science the optimal level of blood pressure has long been determined, which is supposed to be guided by when assessing the physical condition of a person, there are also individual characteristics of blood circulation that determine the personal norm of blood pressure.
So, some people maintain good health and performance at 100-110 / 60-70 mm Hg. Art., while others do not have any complaints at 130/90.
That is why the concept of working pressure has entered medical use - that is, blood pressure indicators at which a person feels absolutely normal, although they can differ quite significantly in one direction or another from 120/80 mm Hg. Art.
pressure in children
The strength of the ejection of blood from the heart at different periods of life changes, and blood pressure changes with it: the norm of blood pressure in children and adults therefore also varies.
In children under one year old, the normal indicator of diabetes is calculated by the formula 76 + 2n, where n is the number of full months of the child's life. they have approximately 2/3-1/2 of the norm of systolic blood pressure.
After a year of life, the formula 90 + 2n is considered to be a guideline in determining the norm of systolic blood pressure, where n is the child's age in full years. Diastolic pressure is calculated using the formula 60+n.
At 10-12 years old, the level of blood pressure in children almost reaches the "adult" norm and is equal to 100-110 / 70-85 mm Hg. Art. Interestingly, the pressure in boys is usually slightly higher than in girls.
pressure in adults
From the age of 14, blood pressure finally acquires its norm: in most healthy adults, it rises to the level of 120/80 mm Hg. Art., however, in some cases, as mentioned above, blood pressure may be slightly lower or higher than this figure while maintaining good health.
Lifestyle, bad habits, work and diet have an impact on the state of blood vessels, blood circulation and, as a result, on the level of blood pressure, therefore, there is an extreme limit of the norm, equal to 139/90 mm Hg. Art.
There are practically no elderly people whose blood pressure remains at the level of 120/80 until a respectable age: acquired diseases of the vessels, heart and other organs play a role here, which can cause a periodic or persistent increase in blood pressure.
Devices for measuring blood pressure
If you feel worse (the appearance of a headache, a rapid or slow heartbeat, weakness, shortness of breath), you need to measure blood pressure: it is likely that the cause of discomfort lies precisely in its increase or decrease against the norm.
This can be done using a special device - a tonometer. Modern tonometers are distinguished by a variety of measurement methods and designs.
Among them are:
- Automatic
- semi-automatic
- Mechanical
A conventional blood pressure monitor consists of a cuff that is inflated with a bulb, an electronic display or pressure gauge that records blood pressure measurements, and a stethoscope. With its help, you can hear specific noises - tremors of blood that determine the numbers of pressure.
Cuffs, depending on the configuration of the device, can be attached to the shoulder or wrist.
Measurement technique
The correct measurement of blood pressure is a whole technique, which consists not only in fixing the cuff, pumping air into it and listening to the resulting tremors of blood, and then fixing the two numbers received.
The procedure also requires a certain preparation of the patient, the correct posture during the measurement of blood pressure:
- The last cigarette before pressure control should be smoked at least half an hour or an hour before the manipulation.
- It is necessary to refrain from strong coffee, tea and alcohol for the same half an hour or an hour before measuring blood pressure
- Before measuring, you need to sit quietly or lie down for 10-15 minutes
Only under the condition of fulfilling the above can one begin to control blood pressure.
Depending on the type of blood pressure device, the procedure is as follows:
- If your device is a standard mechanical blood pressure monitor, then you need to wrap the cuff around your shoulder at heart level, pump air into it. The arrow on the pressure gauge will immediately begin to move up. You will immediately need to put on a stethoscope.
- Inflation must be stopped at a level exceeding the expected maximum figure by 20-30 mm Hg. Art., after which evenly bleed the air, listening to the tones with a stethoscope - characteristic tremors.
- It is necessary to remember the moment of the appearance of the first shocks - this will be an indicator of systolic pressure, as well as the moment of the last shock - a figure showing diastolic pressure.
- Measuring blood pressure with an electronic device requires the same preparation, but it is even simpler: there is no need to listen to the tones with a stethoscope - the blood pressure numbers will be displayed automatically on the display of the tonometer.
Which arm should be used to measure blood pressure? This can be done on any hand that turned out to be more comfortable: the numbers in the end may differ slightly, but these discrepancies have no fundamental clinical significance.
Pressure is measured not only on the hands: an equally important way to diagnose certain vascular diseases can be the measurement of blood pressure on the legs.
Which device is better - electronic or mechanical?
The wide variety of existing devices for measuring blood pressure implies the same wide range of options.
Which tonometer do you prefer?
The main problem is the accuracy of measurements: sometimes the error is quite significant and can be 5-10 mm Hg. Art.
The figure shows a mechanical tonometer
A conventional mechanical blood pressure monitor is inexpensive, but measuring blood pressure on it requires skill or outside help, which is not always feasible. However, it is believed that it also gives more accurate results.
Electronic blood pressure monitors are easy to use: they can measure pressure on their own, but the error sometimes turns out to be quite large - especially for budget models.
"White Coat Hypertension"
In some absolutely healthy people, during the measurement of blood pressure, incorrect results may be recorded in the form of rather high numbers, although in general, these patients do not present any complaints that allow suspecting hypertension and feel great outside the doctor's office.
This phenomenon is associated with personal fears that manifest themselves only in a medical institution: a person is afraid that he will now be given a terrible diagnosis, and begins to worry.
The release of adrenaline, which always accompanies bouts of acute fear, causes and, as a result, a short-term rise in blood pressure, which returns to normal very quickly, as soon as a person leaves the doctor's office.
What is "mm Hg. Art. "?
Often, people who first encounter the need to control blood pressure do not know in what units blood pressure is measured, but everything is very simple: the mysterious “mm Hg. Art. " mean only millimeters of mercury.
Why is that? The fact is that the device itself was invented a very long time ago - at the beginning of the last century, when mercury, known for its fusibility, was widely used in medical instruments. For many years, the device for monitoring blood pressure was a scale with a mercury column, the height of which varied depending on the strength of blood pressure and was measured in millimeters.
Thirty years ago, mercury tonometers became exhibits of medical museums, giving way to safer and more accurate equipment, and the measure remained the same - in honor of the great Italian Shipioni Riva-Rocci, the author of one of the most important devices existing in modern medicine.
What other units are used to measure blood pressure?
The French still prefer centimeters of mercury, so their measurement data looks a bit unusual for us. To bring them into line with ours, you just need to multiply both indicators by ten.
When pressure rises (falls)
Blood pressure changes constantly: its level depends on the time of day, daily activities, certain human conditions.
Pressure naturally rises when:
Salt retains fluid, so an addiction to excessively salty foods increases the risk of developing hypertension. Of course, you cannot completely refuse salt, since this can lead to no less serious health problems, but limiting its consumption is both possible and necessary.
Very often, the cause of a jump in blood pressure is the use of certain medicines - for example, ordinary drops for a cold or a licorice preparation prescribed for a strong cough. This is due to the pronounced vasoconstrictive effect of drugs, so their use must be taken seriously and in no case exceed the recommended dose.
A decrease in pressure in healthy people occurs during sleep, when the body needs to rest. By morning, the most significant decrease in blood pressure occurs. During the first hours after waking up, it normalizes.
A decrease in blood pressure (sometimes to dangerous values) occurs during bleeding. Rapidly falling blood pressure is a formidable sign of internal bleeding or myocardial infarction.
Sedatives, which are usually taken in a state of anxiety and insomnia, can also reduce pressure: these include tinctures of valerian, motherwort, sleeping pills.
Hawthorn tincture, which is often prescribed to normalize the heart rhythm, can also significantly reduce blood pressure. This effect is especially pronounced when taking an alcohol tincture.
If BP is elevated
Arterial hypertension, in which blood pressure is significantly higher than the usual "working" pressure, can be both episodic and persistent.
Can a rare and short-term rise in blood pressure be considered a mild ailment that does not require close attention? Medical statistics indicate that any of its jumps are a sign of problems with the vessels and nervous system that have begun, since both of these systems gradually lose their compensatory capabilities over the years or due to certain diseases.
If you experience headaches, dizziness, increased heart rate, and other signs of pressure problems, it is worth starting to control your blood pressure, contacting specialists along the way for an examination.
The fact is that arterial hypertension can be both an independent vascular pathology and a symptom of other diseases:
- Acute and chronic glomerulonephritis
- Other kidney diseases
- Diabetes
- Tumors of the adrenal glands
- Thyrotoxicoses
The biggest danger of high blood pressure is that the disease can proceed for years with minimal and quickly passing symptoms: patients explain the deterioration of their health by stress, fatigue, and physical exertion. This is partly true, since it is precisely such reasons that become the trigger for the development of hypertension.
However, whatever the causes of high blood pressure, it requires immediate examination, treatment and a complete review of lifestyle, habits and nutrition.
What should hypotensive patients do?
An increase in blood pressure usually draws attention to itself, since it is fraught with many serious consequences - strokes and heart attacks. However, people with low blood pressure suffer no less, although they are spared the risk of becoming disabled or dying from a vascular accident.
The quality of life of hypotensive patients cannot be called high: a constant feeling of weakness, weakness, dizziness and heart rhythm disturbances, shortness of breath, sweating prevent life in the same way as the symptoms of high blood pressure.
Even to stress, these people react differently: as a result of great physical or emotional stress, their pressure drops, although it should increase.
The causes of arterial hypotension can lie both in the congenital weakness of the nervous regulation of vascular and heart tone, and in diseases that can cause a constant decrease in pressure:
- function downgrade thyroid gland(hypothyroidism)
- Peptic ulcer of the stomach and intestines due to the risk of frequent bleeding
- Tuberculosis
- Cervical osteochondrosis
- heart failure
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Hepatitis
It can develop with a lack of certain types of vitamins - E, C and B5. Replenishment of vitamin deficiency makes it possible to normalize blood pressure and improve the quality of life of people.
It is believed that physical activity leads to an increase in blood pressure, since during training and hard work, blood flow to the muscles and heart increases.
However, sometimes there is a reverse reaction of the body: fatigue entails a sharp decrease in blood pressure. This condition in medicine is known as fitness. Optimization of loads helps to restore normal health.
What should hypotensive patients do? It should be remembered that persistent or recurrent is just as serious a reason to see a doctor as hypertension: perhaps the cause of your condition is hidden diseases of various organs and systems.
In addition to medical supervision, hypotensive patients require a special daily regimen and nutrition, as well as daily tonic procedures - contrast showers, massages, swimming, hydromassage sessions.
Well regulate the pressure, bringing it back to normal, tonic tinctures - preparations of ginseng, eleutherococcus, hellebore. However, their use requires the same care as the use of antihypertensive drugs. Tonic drugs are prescribed only by a doctor after a proper examination.
Normal blood pressure is a guarantee of the overall health of the body, vigor and efficiency, therefore, the state of blood vessels must be monitored from childhood: eat right, regulate physical and psychological stress, and not acquire bad habits.
An active lifestyle and mobility help maintain a normal weight and, as a result, avoid excessive stress on the heart and the formation of atherosclerotic deposits in the vessels.
Everything is quite simple. It is one of the main indicators of the activity of the cardiovascular system. Let's look at this issue in more detail.
What is BP?
Blood pressure is the process of squeezing the walls of capillaries, arteries and veins under the influence of blood circulation.
Types of blood pressure:
- upper, or systolic;
- lower, or diastolic.
When determining the level of blood pressure, both of these values \u200b\u200bmust be taken into account. The units of its measurement remained the very first - millimeters of a mercury column. This is due to the fact that mercury was used in the old devices to determine the level of blood pressure. Therefore, the BP indicator looks like this: upper blood pressure (for example, 130) / lower blood pressure (for example, 70) mm Hg. Art.
Circumstances that directly affect the range of blood pressure include:
- the level of strength of contractions performed by the heart;
- the proportion of blood pushed out by the heart during each contraction;
- resistance of the walls of blood vessels, which is the flow of blood;
- the amount of blood circulating in the body;
- fluctuations in pressure in the chest, which are caused by the respiratory process.
Blood pressure levels can change throughout the day and with age. But for most healthy people, a stable blood pressure indicator is characteristic.
Definition of types of blood pressure
Systolic (upper) blood pressure is a characteristic of the general condition of the veins, capillaries, arteries, as well as their tone, which is caused by contraction of the heart muscle. It is responsible for the work of the heart, namely, with what force the latter is able to expel blood.
Thus, the level of upper pressure depends on the strength and speed with which heart contractions occur.
It is unreasonable to assert that arterial and cardiac pressure is one and the same concept, since the aorta also participates in its formation.
The lower characterizes the activity of blood vessels. In other words, this is the level of blood pressure at the moment when the heart is maximally relaxed.
Lower pressure is formed as a result of the contraction of peripheral arteries, through which blood enters the organs and tissues of the body. Therefore, the state of blood vessels is responsible for the level of blood pressure - their tone and elasticity.
How to know the level of blood pressure?
You can find out your blood pressure level using a special device called a blood pressure monitor. This can be done both at the doctor's (or nurse's) and at home, having previously bought the device at the pharmacy.
There are the following types of tonometers:
- automatic;
- semi-automatic;
- mechanical.
A mechanical tonometer consists of a cuff, a pressure gauge or display, a pear for pumping air and a stethoscope. Principle of operation: put the cuff on your arm, put a stethoscope under it (while you should hear the pulse), inflate the cuff with air until it stops, and then start to lower it gradually, unscrewing the wheel on the pear. At some point, you will clearly hear pulsating sounds in the stethoscope headphones, then they will stop. These two marks are the upper and lower blood pressure.
Consists of a cuff, an electronic display and a pear. Principle of operation: put on the cuff, pump up the air to the maximum with a pear, then let it out. The electronic display shows the upper and lower values of blood pressure and the number of beats per minute - the pulse.
The automatic blood pressure monitor consists of a cuff, an electronic display and a compressor that performs inflation and deflation manipulations. Principle of operation: put on the cuff, start the device and wait for the result.
It is generally accepted that a mechanical tonometer gives the most accurate result. It's also more affordable. At the same time, automatic and semi-automatic blood pressure monitors remain the most convenient to use. Such models are especially suitable for older people. Moreover, some types have the function of voice notification of pressure indicators.
It is worth measuring blood pressure indicators no earlier than thirty minutes after any physical exertion (even minor ones) and one hour after drinking coffee and alcohol. Before the measurement process itself, you need to sit quietly for a couple of minutes, catch your breath.
Blood pressure - the norm by age
Each person has an individual which may not be associated with any diseases.
The level of blood pressure is determined by a number of factors that are of particular importance:
- age and gender of the person;
- personal characteristics;
- life style;
- lifestyle features, preferred type of vacation, and so on).
Even blood pressure tends to rise when performing unusual physical exertion and emotional stress. And if a person constantly performs physical activity (for example, an athlete), then the level of blood pressure can also change both for a while and for a long period. For example, when a person is under stress, his blood pressure can rise to thirty mm Hg. Art. from the norm.
However, there are still certain limits of normal blood pressure. And even every ten points of deviation from the norm indicate a violation of the body.
Age | The upper level of blood pressure, mm Hg. Art. | The lower level of blood pressure, mm Hg. Art. |
1 - 10 years | ||
from 95 to 110 | ||
16 - 20 years old | from 110 to 120 | |
21 - 40 years old | from 120 to 130 | |
41 - 60 years old | ||
61 - 70 years old | from 140 to 147 | |
Over 71 years old |
You can also calculate the individual value of blood pressure using the following formulas:
1. For men:
- upper BP \u003d 109 + (0.5 * number of full years) + (0.1 * weight in kg);
- lower BP \u003d 74 + (0.1 * number of full years) + (0.15 * weight in kg).
2. For women:
- upper BP \u003d 102 + (0.7 * number of full years) + 0.15 * weight in kg);
- lower blood pressure \u003d 74 + (0.2 * number of full years) + (0.1 * weight in kg).
The resulting value is rounded to an integer according to the rules of arithmetic. That is, if it turned out to be 120.5, then when rounded it will be 121.
Elevated blood pressure
High blood pressure is a high level of at least one of the indicators (lower or upper). It is necessary to judge the degree of its overestimation, taking into account both indicators.
Regardless of whether the lower blood pressure is high or upper, it is a disease. And it's called hypertension.
There are three degrees of the disease:
- the first - GARDEN 140-160 / DBP 90-100;
- the second - SAD 161-180 / DBP 101-110;
- the third - GARDEN 181 and more / DBP 111 and more.
It is worth talking about hypertension when there is a high level of blood pressure values for a long period.
According to statistics, an overestimated indicator of systolic pressure is most often observed in women, and diastolic - in men and the elderly.
Symptoms of high blood pressure can be:
- decrease in working capacity;
- appearance of fatigue;
- frequent feelings of weakness;
- morning pain in the back of the head;
- frequent dizziness;
- occurrence of bleeding from the nose;
- noise in ears;
- decreased visual acuity;
- appearance at the end of the day.
Causes of high blood pressure
If lower arterial, then most likely this is one of the symptoms of a disease of the thyroid gland, kidneys, adrenal glands, which began to produce renin in large quantities. It, in turn, increases the tone of the muscles of the blood vessels.
Elevated lower blood pressure is fraught with the development of even more serious diseases.
High upper pressure indicates too frequent contractions of the heart.
A jump in blood pressure can be caused by a number of reasons. This is for example:
- vasoconstriction due to atherosclerosis;
- overweight;
- diabetes;
- stressful situations;
- malnutrition;
- excessive consumption of alcohol, strong coffee and tea;
- smoking;
- lack of physical activity;
- frequent weather changes;
- some diseases.
What is low BP?
Low blood pressure is vegetovascular dystonia or hypotension.
What happens with hypotension? When the heart contracts, blood enters the vessels. They expand and then gradually narrow. Thus, the vessels help the blood to move further through the circulatory system. The pressure is normal. For a number of reasons, vascular tone may decrease. They will remain expanded. Then there is not enough resistance for the movement of blood, because of which the pressure drops.
The level of blood pressure in hypotension: upper - 100 or less, lower - 60 or less.
If the pressure drops sharply, then the blood supply to the brain is limited. And this is fraught with such consequences as dizziness and fainting.
Symptoms may be:
- increased fatigue and lethargy;
- darkening in the eyes;
- frequent shortness of breath;
- cold feeling in hands and feet;
- hypersensitivity to loud sounds and bright lights;
- muscle weakness;
- motion sickness in transport;
- frequent headaches.
What is the reason for low blood pressure?
Poor joint tone and low blood pressure (hypotension) can be present from birth. But more often the culprits of low blood pressure are:
- Severe fatigue and stress. Congestion at work and at home, stress and lack of sleep cause a decrease in vascular tone.
- Heat and stuffiness. When you sweat, a large amount of fluid comes out of the body. For the sake of maintaining water balance it pumps water out of the blood that flows through the veins and arteries. Its volume decreases, vascular tone decreases. The pressure drops.
- Taking medication. Heart drugs, antibiotics, antispasmodics and painkillers can “drop” the pressure.
- The occurrence of allergic reactions anything with possible anaphylactic shock.
If you have not had hypotension before, do not leave unpleasant symptoms unattended. They can be dangerous "bells" of tuberculosis, stomach ulcers, complications after a concussion and other diseases. Contact a therapist.
What to do to normalize the pressure?
These tips will help you feel alert all day if you are hypotensive.
- Don't rush to get out of bed. Wake up - do a little warm-up lying down. Move your arms and legs. Then sit down and stand up slowly. Perform actions without sudden movements. they can cause fainting.
- Take a contrast shower in the morning for 5 minutes. Alternate water - a minute warm, a minute cool. This will help to cheer up and is good for blood vessels.
- A good cup of coffee! But only a natural tart drink will raise the pressure. Drink no more than 1-2 cups per day. If you have heart problems, drink green tea instead of coffee. It invigorates no worse than coffee, but does not harm the heart.
- Sign up for a pool. Go at least once a week. Swimming improves vascular tone.
- Buy a tincture of ginseng. This natural "energy" gives tone to the body. Dissolve 20 drops of tincture in ¼ cup of water. Drink half an hour before meals.
- Eat sweets. As soon as you feel weak - eat ½ teaspoon of honey or a little dark chocolate. Sweets will drive away fatigue and drowsiness.
- Drink clean water. Daily 2 liters of pure and non-carbonated. This will help keep your blood pressure at a normal level. If you have a sick heart and kidneys, drinking regimen must be prescribed by a doctor.
- get enough sleep. A rested body will work as it should. Sleep at least 7-8 hours a day.
- Get a massage. According to experts in oriental medicine, there are special points on the body. By acting on them, you can improve your well-being. The point that is located between the nose and the upper lip is responsible for the pressure. Gently massage it with your finger for 2 minutes in a clockwise direction. Do this when you feel weak.
First aid for hypotension and hypertension
If you feel dizzy, severe weakness, tinnitus, call an ambulance. In the meantime, the doctors go, act:
- Open the collar of your clothes. The neck and chest should be free.
- Lie down. Lower your head down. Place a small pillow under your feet.
- Smell ammonia. If it is not available, use table vinegar.
- Have some tea. Definitely strong and sweet.
If you feel the approach of a hypertensive crisis, then you also need to call the doctors. In general, this disease should always be supported by preventive treatment. As first aid measures, you can resort to the following actions:
- Organize a foot bath with hot water, in which mustard was previously added. An alternative would be to apply mustard compresses to the area of the heart, back of the head and calves.
- Lightly bind the right, and then the left arm and leg for half an hour each side. When the tourniquet is applied, a pulse should be felt.
- Drink a drink from chokeberry. It can be wine, compote, juice. Or eat jam from this berry.
To reduce the risk of occurrence and development of hypotension and hypertension, you should adhere to a healthy diet, prevent the appearance of excess weight, exclude harmful products from the list, and move more.
Pressure should be measured from time to time. When observing a trend of high or low blood pressure, it is recommended to consult a doctor to determine the causes and prescribe treatment. Prescribed therapy may include methods to normalize blood pressure, such as taking special medicines and herbal infusions, dieting, performing a set of exercises, and so on.
Content
As long as the parameters of blood pressure are within the normal range, a person does not think about health problems. But as soon as the indicators deviate from the norm, dizziness sets in, and the disease progresses. How to measure pressure with a tonometer to get the correct result? Let's try to figure it out together.
Why measure blood pressure
BP is an important indicator of the functioning of the cardiovascular system, different for each category - it differs in children, in the elderly, in pregnant women. If a person is healthy, then blood pressure indicators are always approximately the same, but an unhealthy lifestyle, stressful situations, fatigue and many other external factors change his indicators. As a rule, they change slightly during the day. If pressure surges do not exceed 10 mm for diastolic (lower), 20 mm for systolic (upper), this is considered normal.
Blood pressure is measured in order to reduce high or raise low values in time. It must be understood that persistent changes in blood pressure that go beyond the normal range may indicate diseases, for example, they occur with cardioarrhythmia. Persistently low or persistently high blood pressure should be treated by a specialist. Hypertension can be hidden behind pressure violations, and behind it is hypertension with its terrible consequences. Therefore, it is so important to learn how to independently take measurements for people with problematic blood pressure.
What is blood pressure measured in
If a person is faced with the definition of his pressure for the first time, he may not know how to use an automatic device, and what the mysterious letters “mm Hg” mean. st. Meanwhile, these are millimeters of mercury in which blood pressure is measured. The device was invented several decades ago, but it is still relevant today. The device operates very simply. Under the influence of the force of blood pressure, the mercury column in it is released or rises, showing the unit of pressure in millimeters.
Algorithm for measuring blood pressure
If after measurement the result turned out to be above the norm, do not panic. For accuracy, the pressure should be measured three times: the second time - after 20 minutes, the third - after 3 hours. In addition, in order to get the most truthful results, you will have to follow a certain pressure measurement algorithm:
- You should measure in a comfortable position: sitting and placing your hand on the table with your palm up.
- Place the elbow so that it is at the level of the heart.
- Wrap the cuff around the arm 3 cm above the elbow.
- To correctly determine the pressure, you can not speak during the procedure.
- After 5 minutes, you need to measure the pressure again.
- To avoid errors will allow the measurement of blood pressure on both hands.
- To track the dynamics, you need to measure blood pressure before meals three times a day.
Technique for measuring blood pressure
Measurement of pressure in a person should occur according to a specific plan. Measurement accuracy is guaranteed by the following actions:
- It should be measured 2 hours after eating to eliminate the error.
- Do not smoke, drink alcohol or coffee before the procedure.
- Do not use nasal or eye vasoconstrictor drops.
- You should not work physically or play sports before this.
Measurement of pressure on the legs
Measurement of pressure on the legs is carried out in patients with functional tests. Regardless of the position of the person, the forearm of the hand and the apparatus are placed at the same level. Air is forced into the cuff quickly, until the pulse on the radial artery disappears. The phonendoscope is placed at the pulsation point of the artery, after which air is released. This must be done slowly. The appearance of pulse beats will be systolic pressure, the point of disappearance of beats will be diastolic. As you can see, measuring blood pressure without the help of a specialist is very simple.
Lying pressure measurement
Measurement of pressure lying down should be done correctly. The arm should lie along the body and be raised to the middle of the chest. For this purpose, it is necessary to put a small pillow under the shoulder and elbow. It is required to measure the indicators three times, so each subsequent measurement is carried out in a different position of the body. The interval between procedures is 5-10 minutes. At this time, the cuff on the arm is loosened.
Rules for measuring blood pressure
There are certain rules for measuring pressure that allow you to track the daily state of human blood pressure. They give more accurate readings. What can not be done before the measurement procedure, we have already written above. The first time you need to measure in the morning, an hour after waking up. The second time - an hour after lunch. Third - in the evening, if necessary, if weakness is present, headache or other ailment.
Blood pressure monitors
There are three types of blood pressure measurement methods. Indirect method - mechanical technique according to Korotkov. It is also called the auscultatory method. Measurement is carried out by means of a manometer, a cuff with a pear and a phonendoscope. Another sister method is oscillometric. It involves the use of electronic tonometers. The third is an invasive method, carried out by catheterization of one of the arteries, followed by connection to the measuring system. It is used by doctors for major surgical interventions.
How to measure pressure correctly
The correct measurement of blood pressure is carried out strictly according to the above rules. However, often when blood pressure is measured by a doctor, the values \u200b\u200bare often higher by 20-40 mm Hg. Art. This is due to the stress that the body receives when measuring by a nurse. In some patients, this is also observed with home measurement. For this reason, it is recommended to carry out repeated measurements at intervals of several minutes.
How to measure blood pressure with an electronic sphygmomanometer
Measurement of pressure with a tonometer is carried out according to a certain scenario. An electronic device must be used according to the instructions, and a child can handle it. It is important to properly wear the sleeve - cuff. It should be placed 3 cm above the elbow at the level of the heart. The rest of the automatic device will do itself. When the measurement is completed, the results will appear on the screen. Improved devices remember previous indicators, which helps to compare the dynamics of changes in blood pressure.
How to measure blood pressure with a manual sphygmomanometer
A mechanical blood pressure monitor requires little effort and is easy to perform at home. It is necessary to put on the cuff, pump air into it using a pear-shaped pump, squeezing and unclenching it in your hand. The device should show 40 mm Hg. Art. above the expected result. Slowly deflate the cuff and blood flow through the artery will be restored. Write the results on a piece of paper with a fraction, and after 15-20 minutes repeat the procedure and compare. That's all, you know how to measure blood pressure correctly.
Many patients complain about their automatic devices, believing that they give incorrect readings. However, according to experts, the problem lies not in blood pressure monitors, but in the correctness of measuring blood pressure, which is why it is so important to start preparing for the procedure in a few hours. You need to calm down and do everything strictly according to the instructions. Doctors recommend purchasing an omron or other brand of semi-automatic device for home use with a cuff on the shoulder, and not on the wrist. The cuff must be tried on before buying.
Video: how to measure pressure with a mechanical tonometer
Attention! The information provided in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give recommendations for treatment, based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.
Did you find an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we'll fix it!A common medical device stored at home is a tonometer, a device for measuring pressure. However, it is not necessary that they be used by hypertensive patients. Blood pressure (BP) sometimes rises spontaneously, under the influence of a provoking external factor. Taking medications without accurate indications, without determining blood pressure indicators is dangerous to health. The tonometer belongs to the category of budget devices available to many. Pharmacies have an extensive selection, and many specialized medical stores are also open.
Consider the units in which blood pressure is measured, and what devices are used for this.
What pressure is considered normal
To accurately measure pressure and reduce errors, you need to know how to correctly perform the procedure, which measures high, low blood pressure. It is permissible, of course, not to be interested in what units are used for this, but it is necessary to know the stages of using the device. If earlier only a mechanical tonometer was in use, many modern electronic analogues have replaced it and made the procedure for determining blood pressure simple and easy. The pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury. The binding to the "mercury column" is now conditional, since initially the scale of the pressure measuring device consisted of mercury.
It is believed that the ideal pressure human body 120/80, where 120 is the upper pressure standard, and 80 is the lower one. But due to individual reasons, this standard turns out to be uncomfortable. In general, the limits of normal range from 100 to 130 mm Hg. Art. (upper) and from 60 to 80 mm Hg. Art. (bottom). That is why there are categories of people with hypertension, and there are categories with hypotension. With the latter disease, blood pressure indicators of 90/60 are recognized as normal, while the person feels healthy. When measuring pressure, this feature must be taken into account. It is clear that only a doctor is able to decipher and determine for certain what the numbers of the tonometer mean.
Some doctors note that as long as a person feels healthy, nothing interferes with him, does not worsen the quality of life, medicine should not interfere. For this reason, at the first stage of hypertension are not prescribed medications for permanent reception. A short maintenance course is prescribed: light drugs are prescribed to reduce pressure, if necessary. The basis of therapy is to correct the diet and lifestyle of the patient. In this case, it is mandatory to use a tonometer to monitor the condition.
If there is a need to use the device, you need to study the information about the features of tonometers and what pressure is measured in. It is important to know that blood pressure readings differ between the left and right arms. Therefore, data must be taken from the same hand when control is required. If you conduct daily monitoring, the measurement of blood pressure is carried out at certain hours.
What are tonometers
Most devices are equipped with auxiliary symbols that simplify their operation. So, on many devices, the pulse values \u200b\u200bare indicated by a graphic pattern - a “heart”. That is, when measuring blood pressure, a person will see a blinking icon next to it. And this is a heart rate counter. This parameter is not indicated everywhere, but it has great importance for those suffering from cardiac arrhythmias and high pressure.
There are quite a few varieties of devices, but the mechanical version is considered accurate. Choose electronic or mechanical devices. The units of measurement remain the same in any case, but there is a difference in the measurements themselves.
The smallest error in mechanical models. In automatic devices, the error reaches a difference of 5 units. Before choosing a tonometer, you should decide for what purpose the mechanism is needed.
Electronic models are a device for measuring blood pressure and a cuff. The display shows the value of the measured pressure, in addition, the device will determine the pulse. The device has built-in memory, but the amount depends on the model. Some store data from previous days, while others store only the latest result. The cuff is worn on the shoulder or hand, depending on the type of apparatus.
When measuring, it must be borne in mind that the indicators of the tonometer must correspond to the age of the person. So, in the elderly there is a deviation from the norm, but there is no history of hypertension. Then this is not a deviation, but the norm of a particular person. You need to know that the readings are divided by age. What is normal for the young is pathological for the elderly. Sometimes it also happens that for people with hypertension, indicators of 120/80 bring discomfort and inconvenience. And the values of 150/95 are not felt by them, the patient feels adequate.
The semi-automatic model has three components:
- cuff;
- pear for pumping air;
- apparatus.
Some models run on batteries, others charge from the mains. Semi-automatic machines usually have a small memory, but it is enough to compare with previous indicators. Unlike an automatic device, here the measurements are more accurate, the error is 2-3 units.
However, all electronic devices have small flaw: sometimes crashes when working. Therefore, before measuring the pressure, you need to make sure that it is correctly set to the operating mode. In case of incorrect operation, an error message and numbers may appear: one or more. To understand what they mean is simple: the erroneous operation of the tonometer. Sometimes, with such incidents, the device makes a characteristic sound. In these cases, you just need to check the performance of all batteries and reboot the device.
How to measure blood pressure correctly
The main condition for correct data acquisition is a calm position of the body and hands. The procedure is carried out when the patient is in a semi-lying or sitting state, completely relaxed. You can't even move your fingers. If the measurement is done by yourself, put your hand freely on a hard surface or stand. Put on the cuff, pump up the pear with your free hand. If the device is automatic or semi-automatic, it will give an alarm when the air supply reaches its limit. Then the pear is removed to the side and the result is awaited. The instrument will beep when data processing is complete.
If the device is mechanical, a phonendoscope is also attached to it. But such a device is used by people who know, actively practice the device, doctors.
Determination of pressure occurs simultaneously "by ear" and "by eye". The air pumping threshold is always higher than the possible pressure. Typically, patients pump up to 180-200 units or more on the upper value. Then the air slowly descends, and the pressure gauge records the occurrence of shocks.
When measuring blood pressure, it is important to perform the correct progressive actions, fixing pressure readings. This allows you to draw conclusions about the state of human health, helps with diagnostic, monitoring activities. Measurement of pressure at home also makes it possible to provide timely assistance and access to a doctor.
Blood pressure is an individual physiological indicator that determines the force of blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels.
In many ways, blood pressure depends on how the human heart works and how many beats per minute it can make.
Normal human pressure is an indicator that can vary depending on the physical load on the body.
Thus, with active training or strong emotional experiences, a person’s normal pressure can increase and go beyond the norm.
Ideal at rest is considered a pressure indicator of 110/70. Low blood pressure starts at 100/60. Increased (hypertension) - from 140\90.
The critical (maximum) indicator is 200/100 or more.
A person's normal blood pressure can also change after physical activity. If the heart at the same time copes with its functions, then the change in blood pressure is not a deviation. Thus, after sports loads, a person's blood pressure can rise to 130/85.
There are such factors that have a significant impact on the normal pressure (including intraocular, intra-abdominal, etc.) of a person:
- The person's age and general health. It is important to know that existing diseases (especially chronic pathologies of the kidneys, heart, sexually transmitted or viral diseases) can significantly increase blood pressure.
- The presence of diseases that can thicken the blood (diabetes mellitus).
- The presence of progressive deviations in pressure (hypertension, hypotension).
- The condition of the heart and the presence of diseases in it.
- Atmosphere pressure.
- Thyroid hormone levels and menopause in women.
- Hormonal disruptions in the body that narrow the arteries and blood vessels.
- General elasticity of the vascular walls. In older people, the vessels wear out and become brittle.
- The presence of atherosclerosis.
- Bad habits (smoking, drinking).
- The emotional state of a person (frequent stresses and experiences are negatively reflected in the normal pressure of a person).
Normal blood pressure has some differences in women, adult men and children.
In the event that a person has failures in this indicator and problems with jumps in blood pressure, he needs urgent medical assistance and medical treatment.
In addition, the pulse rate also plays an important role, since the blood pulse is inextricably linked with venous pressure.
Normal blood pressure in humans: upper and lower pressure
Before considering what upper and lower blood pressure is, let's give a classification of blood pressure according to WHO.
There are such stages of elevated blood pressure according to WHO:
- The first stage is accompanied by a stable course of hypertension, without deterioration in the functioning of internal organs.
- The second stage involves the development of pathologies in one or two organs.
- The third stage affects not only the organs, but also the systems of the body. In addition, the following degrees of AD are distinguished:
- The borderline state, in which the indicators are not more than 159/99.
- The second degree is moderate hypertension (179/109 or more).
Normal blood pressure in a person is a relative concept, since for each individual (separate) organism there are certain normal indicators of the tonometer.
Before understanding what a person's normal blood pressure is, it is important to find out what upper and lower blood pressure is.
Not everyone knows what upper and lower blood pressure is, and it is often confused. In simple terms, upper or systolic pressure is an indicator that depends on the frequency of contraction and the strength of the myocardial rhythm.
Lower or diastolic pressure is an indicator that reveals the minimum pressure during the decrease in the load (relaxation) of the heart muscle.
What should be the blood pressure by age and gender?
In men, the norms are:
- At 20 years old - 123/76.
- At 30 years old - 130/80.
- At 50-60 years old - 145/85.
- More than 70 years - 150/80.
In women, normal blood pressure readings are as follows:
- At 20 years old -115/70.
- At 30 years old - 120/80.
- At 40 years old - 130/85.
- At 50-60 years old - 150/80.
- More than 70 years - 160/85.
As you can see, blood pressure levels increase with age in both men and women.
Normal blood pressure in a person is inextricably linked with his pulse, which can also indicate various diseases and pathologies in the body (especially in the kidneys and blood vessels).
By itself, the pulse is nothing more than periodic contractions that are associated with the oscillation of the vessels when they are filled with blood. With reduced vascular pressure, the pulse will also be weak.
Normally, at rest, a person's pulse should be 60-70 beats per minute.
Allocate different norms heart rate for people of different age categories:
- In children from one to two years old - 120 beats per minute.
- In children from three to seven years old - 95 strokes.
- In children from eight to 14 years old - 80 strokes.
- Adolescents and young adults have 70 strokes.
- In the elderly - 65 strokes.
Normal pressure in a person during pregnancy does not go astray until the sixth month of bearing a child. After that, due to the influence of hormones, blood pressure may increase.
In the event that the pregnancy proceeds with deviations or pathologies, then jumps in blood pressure may be more noticeable. In this condition, a woman may experience a persistent increase in blood pressure. At the same time, she is recommended to register with a therapist and go to the hospital under the supervision of a doctor.
Before considering the units in which blood pressure is measured, you should understand the rules of the procedure itself for setting blood pressure indicators.
- The person should take a sitting position with support on the back.
- Before measuring pressure, it is not recommended to physically overstrain, smoke, eat, or take alcoholic beverages.
- It is necessary to use only a working mechanical device for changing blood pressure, which will have a normalized scale.
- The person's hand should be at chest level.
- During the procedure, you can not speak or move.
- In measuring the magnitude of the pressure of both hands, you need to take a break of ten minutes.
- Your blood pressure should be measured by a doctor or nurse. On your own, a person will not be able to accurately determine his pressure.
Not everyone knows in what units blood pressure is measured and what the “mmHg” indicators mean. Art. In fact, everything is simple: these units of measurement of blood pressure mean millimeters of mercury. They show on the device how high or low the blood pressure is.
After we figured out in what units blood pressure is measured, we will give the main causes of deviations from the norm.
Violations of pressure in the body can develop for a variety of reasons. It can be physical overwork, starvation, or simple stress that has greatly affected a person's condition. Usually, in this state, the indicators themselves stabilize when the body returns to normal, the person eats, rests and sleeps well.
A more serious cause of high blood pressure can be progressive diseases such as vascular atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, acute viral or infectious diseases. In this state, a person can suffer from sharp jumps in blood pressure, as well as obvious signs of hypertension.
Another common cause of failure in blood pressure is a sharp vasoconstriction due to hormonal influences, as well as emotional overstrain.
Taking certain drugs, heart disease, bleeding disorders and excessive physical activity can also affect the failure in this indicator.
Improper nutrition and malfunction endocrine system usually has a bad effect on blood pressure in both young and old people.
The difference between systolic and diastolic pressure: norm and deviation
Blood pressure has two main indicators:
- Systolic.
- diastolic.
There is a significant difference between systolic and diastolic pressure. The norm of the upper (systolic pressure) is determined by the level of pressure in the human blood at the moment of the strongest (limiting) contraction of the heart.
Thus, the rate of systolic pressure directly depends on the frequency of heart beats and the number of its contractions.
There are such factors that affect the rate of systolic pressure:
- The volume of the right ventricle.
- The frequency of oscillations of the heart muscle.
- A measure of the stretching of the walls in the aorta.
The normal systolic pressure is 120 mm. rt. Art. Sometimes it is called “heart”, but this is not entirely correct, because not only this organ, but also vessels are involved in the process of pumping blood.
The norm of diastolic pressure depends on the level of blood pressure at the moment of maximum relaxation of the heart. Thus, the norm of diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg.
Therefore, there is a fairly significant difference between systolic and diastolic pressure.
The norm, however, is still individual for each person, depending on the state of health, age and gender.
High blood pressure or hypertension (hypertension) usually occurs in older people. This disease is considered very dangerous because it can lead to a stroke, that is, a rupture of a vessel in the brain.
Such a deviation may develop for the following reasons:
- Overweight person (obesity).
- Strong nervous strain, frequent stress and psycho-emotional instability.
- Chronic diseases of internal organs.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Diabetes.
- The use of alcoholic beverages.
- Smoking.
- Wrong nutrition.
- The genetic predisposition of a person to this disease.
During hypertension, a person suffers from terrible headaches, weakness, shortness of breath, dry mouth, heart pain and weakness.
In this state, the patient should be given urgent help and consult a doctor until the disease has caused dangerous complications. It is also important to identify the root cause of hypertension, and, together with high blood pressure, treat the factor that provoked its appearance.
Hypotension is a condition in which a person has low blood pressure. In this case, the patient will feel severe weakness, nausea, dizziness.
This condition can be caused by:
- Anemia.
- Heart attack.
- Prolonged fasting.
- Diseases of the adrenal glands.
