Developing a regular blood pressure check is essential as it could save your life. High blood pressure, also known as the silent killer, can bring about other problems such as kidney failure, heart attacks and strokes. In certain cases without warning and with deadly results. The silent killer because it often has no warning signs or symptoms.
It is exactly for the reason that high blood pressure has zero symptoms in the early stages, that you should get it measured on a regular basis. At intervals of approximately three years is best between routine checks if the readings are not abnormal. However if it is elevated, your blood pressure should be kept under surveillance on a much more frequent basis.
If having a blood pressure reading checked, the patient should sit resting in a chair, with their sleeve rolled up. It is possible to have a blood pressure measured while lying down although it's not the ideal position.
The best position for having a blood pressure checked is sitting. A health care professional usually does the blood pressure check, though it can be done by any trained individual.
They will start by wrapping a rubber lined cuff around the upper arm. This cuff is part of a pressure-measuring instrument known as a sphygmomanometer. They have been filled with mercury and the blood pressure taken by the health care professional pumping up the cuff manually.
Today however the sphygmomanometer is electronic and the blood pressure is scanned by a tiny computer within the sphygmomanometer. A stethoscope is used with many models, but today they are seldom used.
When the cuff has been wrapped around the upper arm, it is ballooned so that it temporarily prevents the blood flow to the arm. The sounds of the individual's blood rushing through their artery can be heard with a stethoscope. Two readings are given, one is systolic when your heart is compressing, and the other is diastolic when the heart is at rest.
It is significant that the person is totally rested when their blood pressure measurement is being taken, otherwise a false reading can be acquired.
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