Significance

• Blood pressure is used as a measure of health, so blood pressure readings are a standard procedure during medical check-ups. Hypotension is where a person's blood pressure is consistently low. Hypotension causes a person to feel lightheaded or dizzy, and in more extreme instances can cause fainting or seizures. Severe hypotension causes restricted blood flow to organs. Hypertension is where a person's blood pressure is consistently high. Hypertension can cause many medical problems, such as difficulty breathing, an irregular heartbeat, and increased risk for heart attacks, aneurysms and stroke. Because both of these conditions can have severe consequences, regular blood pressure readings are important to maintaining physical health.
  
  

Types

• An electronic sphygmomanometer with manual pump bulb
  
  You can take blood pressure readings with an electronic sphygmomanometer or a manual sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope. Electronic sphygmomanometers have an inflatable blood pressure cuff, and may require you to manually pump the cuff with a bulb. After a few seconds it displays the reading on a screen. A manual sphygmomanometer requires you to listen for a pulse with a stethoscope as air is slowly released from the cuff. The pressure is displayed on either a gauge or a mercury manometer in millimeters of mercury-mmHg.
  
  

Features

• Blood pressure readings express systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. Systolic blood pressure is the greatest pressure the blood exerts. This occurs when the heart's ventricles are contracting. The normal range for systolic pressure is 90 to 120 mmHg. Diastolic blood pressure is the lowest pressure the blood exerts. This occurs when the heart's ventricles are relaxed. The normal range for diastolic pressure is 60 to 80 mmHg.
  
  

Considerations

• Always sit with your arm relaxed and slightly flexed at the elbow during blood pressure readings. Do not move or talk to ensure you receive an accurate reading. If you are taking a reading at home, make sure you are using the correct size cuff. A cuff that is too small can produce incorrectly high results. If you feel uncomfortable taking blood pressure readings on your own, ask your health care provider to show you the appropriate technique until you are more familiar with it.
  
  

Warning

• Regardless of how often you monitor your blood pressure at home, you should always get regular health screenings to ensure early detection of problems with your blood pressure. If you are consistently getting high readings (over 140/90) or low readings (under 90/60) contact your doctor immediately, as this may be signs of a serious health problem. Hypertension and hypotension can result in permanent health damage or death if untreated.