Many of us perform this ritual several times a day. And if all you're doing it right? It appears, from how to measure blood pressure, often depends on the result.
It would seem that complicated here - took a blood pressure cuff, cuff twisted, pressed the button - and here they are, with a systolic diastolic. No, say cardiologists, as well as in each case, the pressure measurement has its pitfalls. Stumble on this - and will miss pereberesh 10 - 20 mm Hg This discrepancy can not only spoil the mood, but also lead to more serious consequences in the form of misdiagnosis and unnecessary medications.
So, to properly measure the pressure, you must:
Sit quietly for 5 minutes, to avoid stressful situations for 20-30 minutes prior to measurement. If you still had to be worried, it is better to postpone the measurement of pressure on the half hour.
An hour before the measurement can not drink strong tea, coffee, caffeinated beverages and smoking.
Before measuring the pressure can not use the medication in the composition of which go to the agonists (eg, burying his nose Naphazoline).
If you love to eat and arm circumference exceeds 33 cm, and the results were not too high need to purchase a blood pressure monitor with a special wide cuff.
Use the sphygmomanometers (automatic, semiautomatic or manual) with only the shoulder cuff.Pharmacies have wrist and even finger devices, they are compact, but their measurement error is very large.
| More than 20% of cases the cause of increasing pressure on the doctor's examination is the so-called "observation hypertension," which is popularly called the "reaction to the white coat." The leading role is played by emotions, repeated measurement in a relaxed atmosphere shows that the pressure within normal limits. |
Now about the measurement
The pose - just sitting on a chair, feet in front of him. The hand on the table at heart level. If you are using a mechanical tonometer, pressurized to 20 mm Hg more than your usual systolic ("upper") pressure.
The American Heart Association recommends that blow off the cuff at a rate of 3 mm Hg per second. A speeding vehicle could be fined you wrong indicator. Top speed for the electronic tonometer, automatic cuff deflates strictly seconds.
If the pressure was increased, it must be re-measured, only three times, intervals between attempts - 3-5 minutes.
If you suffer from vertigo, had episodes of loss of consciousness, it is necessary to measure the pressure after orthostatic test. First, the pressure was measured after 5 minutes after you take a horizontal position, and then 2 minutes after it rose to his feet. Sometimes you can fix the so-called orthostatic hypotension - decrease in pressure after the vertical position.
It is always important to measure the pressure in both arms, the rate difference in the readings should not exceed 10 mm Hg
Author: Theodore St. George, a physician-heart surgeon.
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