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What
Is Blood Pressure?
In a the most
basic sense, blood pressure is a way of measuring how much force
is being exerted on the walls of your blood vessels (artery) as
blood flows through them. Systolic is the pressure exerted as your
heart contracts or beats. This is measured as your heart sends a
surge of blood through the vessels. A reading of less than 120 mm
Hg is considered normal. Diastolic is the pressure exerted when
your heart relaxes in between heartbeats in the arteries. A reading
of less than 80 mm Hg is considered normal. For adults, HIGH blood
pressure or hypertension is defined as a blood pressure greater
than or equal to 140 mm Hg / 90 mm Hg.
| Blood
Pressure Category |
Systolic
(mm Hg) |
Diastolic
(mm Hg) |
| Normal
|
less than
120 and |
less than
80 |
| Prehypertension |
120–139
or |
80–89
|
| High Blood
Pressure Stage 1 |
140–159
or |
90–99
|
| High Blood
Pressure Stage 2 |
160 or
higher or |
100 or
higher |
Importance
of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
Doctors,
diabetes educators, physician assistants, nurses, the American
Heart Association and other healthcare professionals recommend
home blood pressure monitoring for various reasons, including the
ability to provide them with better information to understand and
manage your high blood pressure.
- Many types
of hypertension can only be detected with home blood pressure
monitoring, including:
- White-coat
Hypertension: blood pressure readings are higher at the doctors
office than when taken from home
- Masked Hypertension:
blood pressure readings are lower at the doctor's office than
when taken from home
- Morning Hypertension:
blood pressure readings are higher when taken in the morning
Additionally,
many factors can affect your blood pressure, including physical
exertion, emotional fluctuations, diet, medications and stress,
so having your blood pressure monitored at a Pharmacy with an in-store
device after you have been shopping or walking around might not
provide you with an accurate measurement.
Monitoring your
blood pressure at home allows you to more easily measure in a relaxed
state and gives you the flexibility to take your measurements at
various times during the day. By keeping track of your home blood
pressure readings, you can provide your healthcare professional
with a log of your blood pressure measurements over time, which
can help them evaluate the effectiveness or need for medication.
Guidelines
for Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
Relax
- Before taking a measurement the user should remain relatively
still for 10-15 minutes and avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, eating,
exercise and other activities that might influence blood pressure
measurements.
Positioning
- Any jewelry or clothing that might interfere with cuff placement
should be removed. The arm cuff should be wrapped around the upper
left arm so that the bottom of the cuff is 2-3 cm above the elbow.
The user should then place the left arm on a table so that the arm
cuff is at the same level as the heart.
Repeated
Measurements - Wait for 10 minutes between measurements to
allow blood flow in the arm to return to normal. Immediate repeated
measurements will cause engorgement of the arteries and an accurate
reading might not be obtained.
Remember
- Blood pressure values vary constantly throughout the day. For
the most accurate readings, measurements should be made at the same
time each day.
Remind
- Keep track of your blood pressure values so you can share this
logged information with your physician.
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