If you or someone you know are at risk of hypertension or arterial hypotension, then it is worth buying a kit to manually measure the blood pressure even at home. It will take some practice to learn the correct procedure but, with practice, you will find that it is not that difficult. You also need to know what to wear, when to take blood pressure, how to measure it correctly and learn how to interpret the results. In a short time, after a few attempts you will be able to measure the systolic and diastolic pressure and you will know the meaning of the values you will detect.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparation
Step 1. Check that the cuff is the right size
Standard sphygmomanometer cuffs are available at pharmacies, drugstores, and health stores and are usually the right size for most adults. However, if you have a particularly thin, large arm, or plan to take a child's blood pressure, you will need to get a cuff of a different size.
- Check the size of the sleeve before you buy it. Check the "reference" line that allows you to understand if the device is suitable for the circumference of the arm. When the cuff is wrapped around the patient's arm, the reference line allows you to understand if the diameter of the arm is within the range of the cuff itself.
- If you use a cuff of the wrong size, you may get inaccurate values.
Step 2. Avoid factors that can raise blood pressure
Some situations cause a temporary hypertensive spike. To make sure you get accurate data, you or the patient should avoid these situations just before taking the measurement.
- Factors that alter blood pressure are stress, smoking, physical activity, cold weather, caffeine, certain medications, a full stomach or bladder.
- Blood pressure changes throughout the day. If you need to check a patient's blood pressure regularly, try to do it at the same time every time.
Step 3. Find a quiet place
You need to be able to hear your own heartbeat or that of the other person, so it is imperative that the environment be quiet. A quiet room is also calming, so the subject whose blood pressure is measured is more likely to relax rather than become stressed. In this way you have greater certainty that the data collection is accurate.
Step 4. Make yourself comfortable
Since psychological stress can alter blood pressure, you or the patient you measure blood pressure should be comfortable. For example, it is a good idea to go to the bathroom before proceeding with the detection. You should also stay warm; find a room with the optimal temperature and, if the room is cold, cover yourself with an extra layer of clothing.
If you have a headache or muscle aches, try to reduce the discomfort before taking your blood pressure
Step 5. Remove clothing with fitted sleeves
Roll up your left sleeve or, better yet, wear a shirt that leaves your arm exposed. Blood pressure should be measured in the left arm, so there should be no clothing on the area.
Step 6. Rest for 5-10 minutes
Rest allows you to stabilize your heart rate and blood pressure before the measurement.
Step 7. Find a suitable and comfortable place for the procedure
Sit in a chair next to the table on which you will rest your left arm. Remember that it should be more or less level with the heart, and the palm of the hand should be facing up.
Sit upright. Your back should be straight and resting against the backrest, do not cross your legs
Part 2 of 4: Put on the cuff
Step 1. Find your heart rate
Place your index and middle fingers in the center of the crook of the elbow. When you apply some pressure to this area, you should feel the pulse of the brachial artery.
If you have trouble hearing the pulse, place the bell or disc of the stethoscope (the circular, metal part at the end of the tube) in the same spot and listen until you hear it
Step 2. Wrap the cuff around your arm
Put one end through the metal buckle and slide your arm through it. The cuff should be about 2-3 cm above the crease of the elbow and should be snug, snug against the arm.
Make sure the skin is not pinched by the cuff as you wrap it carefully. The headband features a sturdy Velcro closure that holds it in place
Step 3. Check the sleeve tension by inserting two fingers under it
If you can move your fingertips a little at the top, but not all of your fingers, then the cuff is properly tightened. If you can move your fingers completely under the band, it means that you need to open it, squeeze it better and close it again.
Step 4. Slide the stethoscope bell under the cuff
Remember that its widest side must face down, in contact with the skin. It also needs to be right above the spot you found earlier, where the pulsation of the brachial artery is felt.
Insert the earphones into your ears. This metal part of the stethoscope must point forward, towards the tip of the nose
Step 5. Adjust the pressure gauge and bellows or bulb pump
The pressure gauge must be in a position where you can see it. For example, you can place it in the palm of your left hand while taking the pressure to yourself. If, on the other hand, you are measuring it to a patient, you can put the manometer wherever you like, the important thing is that you can read the values clearly. Hold the bellows in your right hand.
Turn the screw at the base of the bellows clockwise to close the air vent valve if necessary
Part 3 of 4: Measure Blood Pressure
Step 1. Inflate the cuff
Quickly press the bulb pump (or bellows) until you are no longer able to hear the sound of the heartbeat from the stethoscope. Stop when the pressure gauge indicates a pressure 30-40 mmHg higher than normal.
If you don't know your normal blood pressure, inflate the cuff until the pressure gauge reports a pressure of 160-180mmHg
Step 2. Deflate the cuff
Slowly open the vent valve of the bellows by turning the screw counterclockwise. Let the air flow out gradually.
The pressure indicated on the gauge should drop at a rate of 2 mmHg (or two lines of the scale) per second
Step 3. Listen for the systolic value
It detects the reading on the pressure gauge at the exact moment you are able to hear your heartbeat again. This is the systolic pressure (also called “maximum”).
Systolic pressure indicates the force that the blood pumped by the heart exerts on the walls of the arteries. This pressure builds up every time the heart contracts
Step 4. Listen for the diastolic reading
Write down the value indicated by the pressure gauge at the exact moment when the sound of the heartbeat disappears. This is the diastolic blood pressure (also called "minimum").
Diastolic pressure indicates the blood pressure between heartbeats
Step 5. Rest and repeat the exam
Deflate the cuff completely. Wait several minutes and repeat the same procedure to take another measurement.
It is possible to make mistakes when taking blood pressure, especially if it is your first attempts. For this reason it is important to repeat the test as a control measure
Part 4 of 4: Interpreting the Results
Step 1. Learn your normal blood pressure values
In an adult, systolic blood pressure should be below 120mmHg and diastolic below 80mmHg.
This is the range considered "normal". A healthy lifestyle, which includes proper nutrition and exercise, should be enough to keep blood pressure normal
Step 2. Identify the signs of pre-hypertension
Pre-hypertension is not a dangerous condition in itself, but it predisposes to full-blown hypertension in the future. An adult individual in a state of pre-hypertension has a systolic pressure between 120 and 139 mmHg and a diastolic value between 80 and 89 mmHg.
Discuss your situation with your family doctor; ask him for advice on making changes to your diet and lifestyle to lower blood pressure
Step 3. Assess the signs of early stage hypertension
WHO defines this condition as high normal blood pressure. An adult, in this case, has a systolic pressure between 140 and 159 mmHg and a minimum between 90 and 99 mmHg.
Normal high blood pressure needs to be treated by a doctor. Make an appointment at your doctor's office so that they can assess the situation and prescribe the most suitable therapy for you
Step 4. Find out if you have stage 2 hypertension
This condition, also known as moderate hypertension, is quite serious and should be referred to a doctor promptly. If the maximum pressure is over 160 mmHG and the minimum is around or above 100 mmHg, then this is referred to as second stage hypertension.
Step 5. Remember that the pressure may also be too low
If the systolic value is around 85 mmHg and the diastolic value around 55 mmHg, then we speak of hypotension. Typical symptoms of this condition are dizziness, fainting, dehydration, difficulty concentrating, vision problems, nausea, fatigue, depression, rapid heart rate and clammy skin.
Talk to your doctor to discuss possible causes of low blood pressure and how to get it back to normal
Step 6. Always see your doctor if you suspect you have hypertension (at any stage) or hypotension
If you are in a hypertensive or pre-hypertensive situation, your doctor may give you tips and advice to put into practice to lower the values. This involves lifestyle changes (if you are in pre-hypertension) and taking hypotensive medications (if hypertension is overt).
- Your doctor may undergo visits and tests, especially if you are already on drug therapy, to check for other conditions that prevent you from having normal blood pressure.
- If you are already undergoing hypotensive therapy, then your doctor may evaluate a different drug or recommend other tests to see if there are any conditions that inhibit the action of the drug.
