Blood pressure relates to the blood’s force on the blood vessels as they are pumped for circulation in the body. When talking about blood pressure, it generally means the pressure on the large arteries of the heart as they receive blood for delivery to the rest of the body. Blood flows as a result of the heart’s beating, and the arteries are the ideal part of the circulatory system to measure for BP since their walls are thicker, allowing a person to record the pressure using a sphygmomanometer. There are two kinds of sounds that a trained person looks for when getting the blood
pressure: systolic and diastolic. Systolic pressure, or the peak pressure, is the first sound detected as blood starts to flow to the arteries. This is considered the start of the cardiac cycle. This happens when the heart contracts, pumping blood outside of its valves. As the blood pours to the arteries, there is a turbulence created, which is how systolic pressure is determined. The diastolic pressure is determined when the sound ceases in the arteries, which means that the heart is at rest. This is when the pressure at the arteries is at its lowest.
The typical measurement for a healthy adult is about 120 mmHg over 80 mmHg, which is the ratio between systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. These ratios vary from individual to individual depending on stress levels, medication, illness, exercise, diet, temperature and quality of health. Usually, individuals who are experiencing stress or over-indulging in his diet has a higher blood pressure. Also, a person who gets little sleep at night tends to have a lower blood pressure. Blood pressure can be taken using non-invasive or invasive methods. The non-invasive method includes the use of a sphygmomanometer or a stethoscope for listening.
The invasive method uses a cannula needle to obtain the measurement by direct contact to the artery. The non-invasive form of BP taking is simple and quick to make if a person is trained on what sounds to listen to. This does not hurt the patient and it does not require a high degree of expertise. The patient just sits comfortably in a chair or bed while the upper part of an arm is bared. The administering person will then listen for the Karotkoff sounds (Quan, 2006) with the use of his instrument. This method is best-suited for routine medical exams for it could prove less accurate than the invasive measurement.
In an invasive measurement, which is done in hospitals, expertise is needed in inserting the cannula needle. This process is usually administered by a surgeon or an anesthesiologist to patients suffering from infection, thrombosis or bleeding. The needle is inserted directly to an artery and requires very close monitoring as it could result to heavy bleeding should it become disconnected. Blood pressure monitoring can be done at home as there are some people whose BPs would rise due to anxieties associated with the medical procedure.
There are medical devices in the market that are capable of automatically measuring blood pressure, which is also ideal for people who’s heartbeat is irregular. Self-monitoring is encouraged for people diagnosed with hypertension. The use of home monitoring kits help the hypertensive person avoid the risk of attacks that could prove fatal and expensive. In taking the blood pressure at home, a patient is required 30 minutes before the test not to drink beverages that would accelerate heart rate, like coffee. Smoking and exercise should also be avoided half an hour before the blood pressure is taken.
References
Quan, K. (2006, November 30). Vital Signs: Blood Pressure. Suite101. com Home Page. Retrieved September 7, 2008, from http://www. suite101. com/about/ Pick, M. (2008). Blood Pressure Readings — Taking Your Vital Signs. Women to Women Home Page. Retrieved September 7, 2008, from http://www. womentowomen. com/heartdiseaseandstroke/bloodpressurereadings. aspx Saint Joseph’s Hospital. (2006). Vital Signs (Body Temperature, Pulse Rate, Respiration Rate, Blood Pressure). Retrieved September 7, 2008, from http://www. stjosephsatlanta. org/HealthLibrary/content. aspx? pageid=P00866