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Hypertension develops when the force of the blood coming from your heart consistently puts too much pressure on the walls of your arteries. Over time, this pressure can cause small tears in your ...
A new study found using only one size of a blood pressure cuff for any and all patients could lead to highly inaccurate readings.
A sphygmomanometer (/ ˌ s f ɪ ɡ m oʊ m ə ˈ n ɒ m ɪ t ə r / SFIG-moh-mə-NO-mi-tər), also known as a blood pressure monitor, or blood pressure gauge, is a device used to measure blood pressure, composed of an inflatable cuff to collapse and then release the artery under the cuff in a controlled manner, [1] and a mercury or aneroid manometer to measure the pressure.
When measuring blood pressure in the home, an accurate reading requires that one not drink coffee, smoke cigarettes, or engage in strenuous exercise for 30 minutes before taking the reading. A full bladder may have a small effect on blood pressure readings; if the urge to urinate arises, one should do so before the reading.
Correct blood pressure measurement technique involves several steps. Proper blood pressure measurement requires the person whose blood pressure is being measured to sit quietly for at least five minutes which is then followed by the application of a properly fitted blood pressure cuff to a bare upper arm. [91]
During systole, when blood volume increases in the finger, the control system increases cuff pressure, too, until the excess blood volume is squeezed out. On the other hand, during diastole, the blood volume in the finger is decreased; as a result, cuff pressure is lowered and again the overall blood volume remains constant. As blood volume and ...
In the absence of hydrostatic effects (e.g. standing), mean blood pressure decreases as the circulating blood moves away from the heart through arteries and capillaries due to viscous losses of energy. Mean blood pressure drops over the whole circulation, although most of the fall occurs along the small arteries and arterioles. [75]
For most people, recommendations are to reduce blood pressure to less than or equal to somewhere between 140/90 mmHg and 160/100 mmHg. [2] In general, for people with elevated blood pressure, attempting to achieve lower levels of blood pressure than the recommended 140/90 mmHg will create more harm than benefits, [3] in particular for older people. [4]