Blood Pressure Measurement Technique

2 measure blood pressure and pulse rate.

Blood pressure measurement technique.

If you use the auscultation method deflate the cuff pressure 2 mm hg per s and listen for korotkoff sounds. Typically readings are taken every 15 to 30 minutes for 24 hours. Blood pressure is usually expressed in terms of the systolic pressure maximum pressure during one heartbeat over diastolic pressure minimum pressure between two heartbeats in the cardiac cycle. During the measurement sit in a chair with your feet on the floor and your arm supported so your elbow is at about heart level.

Don t talk during the measurement. The arm being used should be relaxed uncovered and supported at the level of the heart. It is used in screening for hypertension and for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment in patients with. As most readers probably know the typical method for blood pressure measurement has long been the manual auscultatory technique with a mercury column or mechanical aneroid sphygmomanometer.

If you use the auscultation method prefer a palpated estimate of radial pulse obliteration pressure to estimate sbp. It is measured in millimeters of mercury mmhg above the surrounding atmospheric pressure. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a noninvasive automated process that records blood pressure over an extended period. Measuring orthostatic blood pressure a drop in bp of 20 mm hg or in diastolic bp of 10 mm hg or experiencing lightheadedness or dizziness is considered abnormal.

Arterial blood pressure is most commonly measured via a sphygmomanometer which historically used the height of a column of mercury to reflect the circulating pressure. Evaluation of blood pressure is essential in assessing cardiovascular health. 3 have the patient stand. Blood pressure values are generally reported in millimetres of mercury mmhg though aneroid and electronic devices do not contain mercury.

The inflatable part of the cuff should completely cover at least 80 of your upper arm and the cuff should be placed on bare skin not over a shirt. Separate repeated measurements by 1 2 minutes. However with the benefits that automated bp devices provide with a repeatable standardized technique and removal of observer bias there has been a shift towards automated devices in clinical practice. Proper positioning is vital in obtaining accurate blood pressure readings.