|
Learn How To Avoid Mistakes in Measuring High Blood Pressure
|
|
High blood pressure is a serious condition and needs to be checked regularly. An
incorrect reading of blood pressure can also lead to grave complications as misunderstanding of the
problem will make it difficult to treat it correctly and on time. Hence, it is very important to
measure blood pressure accurately.
Learn How To Avoid Mistakes in Measuring High Blood Pressure
Always make sure that your blood pressure monitor is
working properly before taking your blood pressure. Before taking your blood pressure, sit down
for a little while and try to relax by breathing slowly. This is necessary because heightened
emotions or excitement will increase your blood pressure.
Your arm should be placed at heart level. You must keep it steady during the
checking. Use pillows to support the arm. The cuff of the monitor should be of an appropriate size
and should be worn correctly. Put the cuff on your upper arm with the bottom of the cuff placed at
the bend in your elbow. The cuff should cover about 3/4 of your upper arm. When the blood pressure
is being taken, make sure that you are sitting straight with your feet flat on the floor. Take deep
breaths while your blood pressure is being checked. Write down the reading immediately in a log so
that you can consult it afterwards if needed or you can take the log to show to the doctor.
With the invention of blood pressure monitors, checking your pressure daily is
no longer a problem.
However, here are some tips that you should keep in mind in order to get
accurate results:
• Get into the routine of checking your blood pressure daily
yourself at home because the reading at the doctor’s office may be wrong because some people get
nervous, anxious or angry. These emotions make your blood pressure rise.
• A normal range of blood pressure is usually considered 120/80.
• Using the wrong sized cuff will give you an incorrect reading. To determine the
right cuff size for yourself, make sure that the size of cuff’s bladder is at least 80 percent of
your arm’s circumference.
• Position your cuff properly or you will not get an accurate reading. In order
to ensure that the reading is as precise as possible, take blood pressure several times.
• If your readings measure 140/90, then you should be concerned as this is high
blood pressure.
|
Delicious
Facebook
Google Bookmarks
Stumbleupon
Technorati
Twitter
