BLOOD PRESSURE

OBJECTIVES

• DEFINE BLOOD PRESSURE– SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC

• NORMAL RANGE OF B/P– SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC

• SIZE AND PLACEMENT OF B/P CUFF

BLOOD PRESSURE

• MEASUREMENT OF THE PRESSURE THAT THE BLOOD EXERTS ON THE WALLS OF THE ARTERIES DURING THE VARIOUS STAGES OF HEART ACTIVITY.– AS THE HEART CONTRACTS OR

RELAXES

SYSTOLIC PRESSURE

• PRESSURE THAT OCCURS IN WALLS OF ARTERIES WHEN THE HEART IS CONTRACTING AND PUSHING BLOOD INTO ARTERIES

DIASTOLIC PRESSURE

• CONSTANT PRESSURE THAT IS IN THE WALLS OF THE ARTERIES WHEN THE HEART IS AT REST OR BETWEEN CONTRACTIONS.

BLOOD PRESSURE

NORMAL RANGE

SYSTOLIC PRESSURE

• NORMAL RANGE

– 100 TO 140 MM MERCURY

DIASTOLIC PRESSURE

• NORMAL RANGE

– 60 TO 90 MM MERCURY

Factors influencing Blood Pressure readings

• Force of the Heartbeat

• Resistance of the arterial system

• Elasticity of the arteries

• Volume of blood in the arteries

Increase Blood Pressure

• Excitement, anxiety, nervous tension

• Stimulant drugs

• Exercise and eating

Decrease Blood Pressure

• Rest and sleep

• Depressant drugs

• Excessive loss of blood

Factors that affect B/P readings

• Lying down (usually lower B/P)

• Sitting position

• Standing position (usually higher B/P)

Recording B/P

• Systolic reading is top number

• Diastolic is bottom number

• Example– 120/80

Types of sphygmomanometers

• Mercury

• Aneroid

Mercury sphygmomanometer

• contains a long column of mercury

• each line on gauge represents 2 mm of mercury

• place on a flat level surface or mounted on the wall

• level of mercury should be at 0

Aneroid sphygmomanometer

• Round gauge

• Each line on gauge represents 2 mm of mercury pressure

Factors to follow for accurate readings

• American Heart Association recommendations– Patient should sit quietly for at least 5 minutes

before the B/P is taken– Two separate readings should be taken and

averaged– Minimum wait of 30 seconds between readings

PROPER SIZE

• B/P CUFFS SHOULD BE THE SAME DIAMETER AS OF THE PATIENTS ARM

PROPER SIZE

• SMALL CUFFS RESULTS IN FALSELY HIGH READINGS

• LARGE CUFF MAY CAUSE FALSELY LOW READINGS