Measuring Blood PressureMeasuring Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is Blood pressure is indicates your heart indicates your heart healthhealth

It is determined by the It is determined by the contractions of the heart contractions of the heart

Your pressure varies Your pressure varies depending on the depending on the condition of your heart condition of your heart and blood vesselsand blood vessels

Pressure is measured in Pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)(mm Hg)

What is Blood PressureWhat is Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the Blood pressure is the force that blood force that blood exerts against blood exerts against blood vessel walls.vessel walls.

The pumping action The pumping action of the heart generates of the heart generates the flowthe flow

Pressure occurs Pressure occurs when the flow is met when the flow is met by resistance from by resistance from blood vessel wallsblood vessel walls

Laminar FlowLaminar Flow

Blood flows faster in Blood flows faster in the center of a blood the center of a blood vessel, because the vessel, because the blood near the sides blood near the sides are hitting the walls of are hitting the walls of the vessels.the vessels.

Is caused by the Is caused by the friction (resistance) friction (resistance) between the blood between the blood and the vessel walls.and the vessel walls.

Blood Pressure GraphBlood Pressure Graph

By taking your pulse, you can feel that blood By taking your pulse, you can feel that blood pressure fluctuation with each heartbeat.pressure fluctuation with each heartbeat.

The pulse which you feel is actually a pressure The pulse which you feel is actually a pressure wave that travels from your heart though your wave that travels from your heart though your arteriesarteries

SystolicDicrotic Notch Diastolic Average

Pressure

Pulse Pressure

Systolic PressureSystolic Pressure Systolic pressure is the maximum pressure Systolic pressure is the maximum pressure

exerted by the blood against the artery walls.exerted by the blood against the artery walls. It results when the ventricles contract.It results when the ventricles contract. Normally, it measures 120 mm Hg.Normally, it measures 120 mm Hg.

Systolic

Dicrotic NotchDicrotic Notch

The Dicrotic Notch represents the interruption of The Dicrotic Notch represents the interruption of blood flow due to the brief backflow of blood that blood flow due to the brief backflow of blood that closes the aortic semilunar valve when the closes the aortic semilunar valve when the ventricles relax.ventricles relax.

Dicrotic Notch

Diastolic PressureDiastolic Pressure

Diastolic Pressure is the lowest pressure in the Diastolic Pressure is the lowest pressure in the artery.artery.

It result when the ventricles are relaxed and is It result when the ventricles are relaxed and is usually around 80 mm Hg.usually around 80 mm Hg.

Diastolic

Blood Pressure SoundsBlood Pressure Sounds

A cuff is inflated to constrict an artery so A cuff is inflated to constrict an artery so that no blood flows.that no blood flows.

As the cuff pressure is slowly released, but As the cuff pressure is slowly released, but the artery is still partially constricted, blood the artery is still partially constricted, blood flow begins again.flow begins again.

Sounds can be heard because the blood Sounds can be heard because the blood flows violently causing audible sounds.flows violently causing audible sounds.

When the artery is fully open, the blood When the artery is fully open, the blood flows freely and the sounds disappear.flows freely and the sounds disappear.

Checking Blood PressureChecking Blood Pressure

The first sounds that are heard indicate The first sounds that are heard indicate systolic pressure (top number).systolic pressure (top number).

When the sounds stop, diastolic pressure When the sounds stop, diastolic pressure has been reached (bottom number).has been reached (bottom number).

Average blood pressure is:Average blood pressure is:

120120

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