HEALTHGENIE.INBlood pressure Monitor

How Is Blood Pressure Tested?

Having your blood pressure tested is quick and easy. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and recorded as two numbers systolic pressure "over" diastolic pressure. For example, the doctor or nurse might say "130 over 80" as a blood pressure reading.Both numbers in a blood pressure reading are important. As we grow older, systolic blood pressure is especially important.To test your blood pressure, your doctor will use a familiar device with a long name. and may look something like this:

Some blood pressure testing devices use electronic instruments or digital readouts. In these cases, the blood pressure reading appears on a small screen or is signaled in beeps, and no stethoscope is used. The most accurate blood pressure monitors are mercurial monitors then the Aneroid type. These both needs stethoscope and a nurse and a doctor to diagnose the value. This option is not viable for homecare use ,hence the need of digital homecare BP Monitors .In the digital type, there are basically 2 models, 1.Wrist type - less accurate2.Upper arm- more accurate

Technology behind digital BP monitors-1.Oscillating type - less accurate2.Fuzzy Logic – More advance and better technology

A blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high. About two-thirds of people over age 65 have high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, then you have prehypertension. This means that you don't have high blood pressure now but are likely to develop it in the future. You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Treatment:The treatment for hypotension depends on its cause. Chronic hypotension rarely exists as more than a symptom. Asymptomatic hypotension in healthy people usually does not require treatment. Adding electrolytes to a diet can relieve symptoms of mild hypotension. In mild cases, where the patient is still responsive, laying the person in dorsal deceits (lying on the back) position and lifting the legs will increase venous return, thus making more blood available to critical organs at the chest and head. The treatment of hypertensive shock always follows the first four following steps. Outcomes, in terms of mortality, are directly linked to the speed in which hypotension is corrected. In parentheses are the still debated methods for achieving, and benchmarks for evaluating, progress in correcting hypotension. A study on septic shock provided the delineation of these general principles. However, since it focuses on hypotension due to infection, it is not applicable to all forms of severe hypotension.Medium-term (and less well-demonstrated) treatments of hypotension include:

What is diastolic blood pressure?Diastolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries as the heart relaxes between beats. It's shown as the bottom number in a blood pressure reading.The diastolic blood pressure has been and remains, especially for younger people, an important hypertension number. The higher the diastolic blood pressure the greater the risk for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. As people become older, the diastolic pressure will begin to decrease and the systolic blood pressure begins to rise and becomes more important. A rise in systolic blood pressure will also increase the chance for heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure. Your physician will use both the systolic and the diastolic blood pressure to determine your blood pressure category and appropriate prevention and treatment activities.

Tips for Having Your Correct Blood Pressure Taken

•Don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes 30 minutes before having your blood pressure measured.

•Before the test, sit for five minutes with your back supported and your feet flat on the ground. Rest your arm on a table at the level of your heart.

•Wear short sleeves so your arm is exposed.

•Go to the bathroom prior to the reading. A full bladder can change your blood pressure reading.

•Get two readings, taken at least two minutes apart, and average the results.

•Ask the doctor or nurse to tell you the blood pressure reading in numbers.