Measuring the pressure is best in the home andcalm environment, so in your home medicine chest must necessarily be available tonometer - mechanical, wrist or electronic. The fact is that some people who are in the hospital or call an ambulance at home can show "white coat syndrome", and pressure can jump only due to the alarming situation and the presence of unfamiliar people. It is worth noting that people aged more than 40 years of age are advised to monitor their pressure daily, even if they do not have diagnosed hypertension.
How to measure pressure: the right environment
It is best to measure in a calm,quiet, comfortable atmosphere and at a comfortable temperature in the room. Sit on a chair with a straight back so that the table next to it. The ideal height of the table top is the one at which the middle of the cuff placed on the shoulder will be at the level of your heart.
How to measure pressure: preparation for the procedure
Remember that doctors recommend waiting a couple of hoursafter eating and only then start to measure the pressure. And one hour before the procedure, give up coffee, nasal and eye drops, as well as smoking (drinking alcohol is a self-evident fact). Expose the hand on which you will make the measurement. Sitting on a chair, lean back against his back, relax your legs and do not cross - this is important in order not to change the configuration of your vascular system. The pressure should be measured after a 10-minute rest. When you are in the process of measuring, any conversations are excluded and, of course, it is desirable to turn off the TV, especially if it broadcasts news or TV series.
How to measure the pressure correctly: the position of the cuff
Put the cuff above the elbow bend for two- two and a half centimeters. Pipes should be located in the area of the output of the brachial artery. It is very important that the cuff is attracted evenly to the entire surface of the hand. In view of the fact that the human arm is narrower at the elbow and wider at the shoulder, the cuff with a uniform fixation will be buttoned slightly diagonally.
How to properly measure pressure: how to inject air and how much it should be pumped
The electronic tonometer determines on its own how much air should be pumped into the cuff. And when using a mechanical device and a phonendoscope, the pressure is measured as follows.
1. Determine the pulsation of the radial artery with a phonendoscope on the elbow bend.
2.Begin to quickly puff the air into the cuff (to the mark of 60 mm Hg), and after that pumping only 10 mm. gt; Art. until the ripple disappears. Add to this 30 mm. And remember this number.
3. Start blowing air 2 mm from the cuff. gt; Art. for a second.
4. The upper limit of pressure (systolic pressure) is the one on which the pulse again began to differ in the phonendoscope. Remember this figure.
5. The lower limit of pressure (diastolic pressure) is the figure on which the pulse has disappeared.
How to measure the pressure correctly carpal tonometer
1. Remove all items from your hand (bracelets, watches).Note that the body of the blood pressure monitor is correctly positioned with respect to your palm. This will help you with the figure depicted on the wrist blood pressure box packaging or in the description to it.
2. Place the cuff on the wrist of your left hand in such a way that your thumb is pointed upwards.
3. The cuff is applied to the skin (not on the sleeve of clothing) one-and-a-half inches higher than the wrist fold. The cuff should be wrapped up to a tight fit to the arm.
4. Bend your arm so that the tonometer is located with the heart on one level.
5. During the measurement, you must be relaxed. Do not start conversations with anyone and refrain from even thinking about the issues that worry you.
