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Today we’ll continue with our discussion of blood pressure — and focus on how to take a blood pressure reading.

Taking a person’s blood pressure doesn’t have to be complicated, but you do need to take several factors into consideration. One thing to look out for is the consumption of alcohol before the reading — if you have had some alcohol, or you’re taking the blood pressure of someone who has, then postpone the reading — or take into account that the reading will not be accurate.

A blood pressure is taken using an instrument called a sphygmomanometer — that’s a big word for a gadget that looks something like the one in the picture above. There are a variety of these available at most drug stores, so pick one that suits your needs. Some are more automatic than others, but the principles involved are similar.

There are two readings taken — the systolic pressure is a measurement of the force of the blood created in the arteries when the heart beats — and the diastolic pressure measures the same force, but when the heart is at rest.

Here’s the old fashioned way to take a blood pressure reading:

1. Go to a place where you can sit down and relax. Make sure that there is a table or arm rest beside you where you can rest your arms.

2. Bend your elbow and make sure that it is parallel to your heart. Some experts recommend the use of the left arm for testing while some recommend both for testing.

3. Gently place the stethoscope in your ears.

4. Wrap the cuff around your arm. To do this, slip the top part of the cuff through the metal bar attached to the cuff. Secure it by using the Velcro.

5. Make sure that the cuff is snug but do not make it too tight as this would cut off your circulation and may result in a false high blood pressure.

6. Place the reading (bulb) end of the stethoscope just above the bend of the arm.

7. Look for a little clip at the back of the sphygmomanometer where the pressure gauge is and attach that clip to something sturdy. It’s important that you secure the gauge so that it stays anchored and stable.

8. Tighten the valve at the base of the rubber bulb by turning it clockwise to shut it off.

9. Pump the bulb using slow but steady pressure until the needle on the gauge is at 20 to 30 points above your usual systolic.

10. Gently start turning the bulb’s valve counterclockwise to release the air.

11. As you do this, keep an eye on the gauge and listen for a thumping sound in the stethoscope. The value in the gauge when you first heard the thump is the systolic number and the value indicated when the thumping fades to silence is the diastolic number.

Taking someone’s blood pressure this way is very old fashioned since digital equipment is now used, especially in hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices. If you purchase one of these digital units, read the instructions carefully.

The person having their blood pressure taken should not bend over during the reading and they should sit erect with their back straight and with their feet touching the ground.

Similarly, a person should sit and rest for at least five minutes before having their blood pressure taken. If a person is excited or disturbed or nervous or has been rushing around, it can cause their blood pressure to rise and again give a false reading. You often see this happen when someone is nervous about going to the doctor, and when the blood pressure is read it is higher than normal. That’s why it’s good to take two readings about two minutes apart.

If you’re tracking your own blood pressure, it’s best to take several readings over several days in order to get an idea of how much the readings fluctuate. As always, if your readings are out of the normal ranges, see your medical professional.

According to the American Heart Association, normal readings are less than 120 for systolic and less than 80 for diastolic. You should get checked by your medical professional if your readings are from 120-139 for systolic and between 80 and 89 for diastolic.

You are in Stage 1 (high blood pressure) of your readings are between 140-159 for systolic, and between 90-99 diastolic. You are in Stage 2 (high blood pressure) if your readings are 160 or higher for systolic and 100 or higher for diastolic.

Anything higher than 120 over 80 means see your doctor to get checked out. Don’t fool around with this. Also, any low readings should also be checked out by a doctor.
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Have a healthy and nutritious day!

Shanti … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

Ron

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