Blood Pressure, if left untreated, can cause many other diseases including heart attack, brain stroke, etc. This is why patients need to keep on checking their blood pressure regularly to keep an eye on the sleeping monster. For this, as a patient, you can either choose a manual blood pressure machine or a digital one. Considering it is easy to check via a digital monitor, you might be wondering ‘how to use a blood pressure monitor manual?’
Well, though it is not rocket science, you need to learn the language of this monitor to be confident about the reading you are taking. This is where my blog can help you!
Learn A Little About Blood Pressure
Before delving deeper into blood pressure, take into account what blood pressure can inform you about your overall health. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can be harmful to your heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Though normal blood pressure reading is 120/80mmHg this varies a little considering the age, lifestyle, and the co-existence of different other diseases. However, anything above that range is usually called hypertension. Whereas the blood pressure upper reading, which should be around 120 otherwise, counts anything below that, it is considered hypotension.
Before we get into the details of the blood pressure check, let’s understand the factors that may cause high blood pressure. These include Smoking, excessive use of Caffeine, being in Stress, an Unhealthy lifestyle, etc. On the contrary to that, some components that cause low blood pressure include low blood count, blood deficiencies, some diseases, malnutrition, some allergies, etc. Regardless of the factors, keeping a keen eye on its numbers can help you keep it better controlled.
The American Heart Association (AHA) states in their most recent recommendations for blood pressure measurement that “there is a role for (automated) gadgets in-office use, both as an alternative to traditional (manual) readings and as supplements to them.” However, the AHA recommends that a properly maintained manual blood pressure monitor can also be confidently used for routine office and home measurements. This means, now you can easily keep manual blood pressure monitor for routine checkups.
Let’s Understand the Blood Pressure Reading
Blood pressure readings can be obtained in two different ways. Both express the same concept.
Systolic Pressure: The reading’s highest number is called systolic pressure. The force inside your bloodstream when your heart is pumping to pump blood is measured by systolic pressure.
Diastolic Blood Pressure: Diastolic pressure also known as lower value is the second measurement. It is almost the lowest reading and measures artery force when the heart is at rest during beats.
A systolic pressure of 115 and a diastolic pressure of 80 are indicated by a blood pressure of 115/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). The higher the number, the harder it is for a heart to circulate blood thru the artery walls.
How To Use Blood Pressure Monitor Manual – The Guide
The procedures for using a digital blood pressure device and a manual blood pressure device (sphygmomanometer) are very comparable. Let’s go over the guidelines one by one and try to grasp them.
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Select The Correct Equipment
You will require the following items: An elevated stethoscope, a proper-sized blood pressure cuff, and an aneroid or mercury column blood pressure cuff sphygmomanometer r device is automated but has a manual pump-up mode.
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Finding The Right Pulse
The initial and most significant step is to determine the appropriate pulse. This is easily accomplished by placing your middle and index fingers just inside the elbow joint. This is where the brachial artery can be found. If you can’t find your pulse, insert the stethoscope into the center of the elbow bend. If you own a manual blood pressure monitor, you need to do this with more care. However, when using a digital monitor, simply putting an arm cuff in the same area will be enough.
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Tighten The Cuff
To secure the cuff, slide it into your arm. You simply need to position the stethoscope’s head over the artery. The cuff is frequently labeled to assist you in displaying the position where the stethoscope head should be. For the best result try keeping the cups, 1 inch above the bend. Next, insert the stethoscope into your ears.
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Inflate And Deflate At The Same Time
Though I specifically wanted to talk about ‘how to use blood pressure monitor manual,’ I think it would be more helpful if you know how to check on both the manual one and the digital one. That is because, it would help you understand the manual one better and also, you won’t be hesitant when left with the digital one only. So, this is what you can do if you have a manual monitor:
- Take one hand (preferably the left) and the pressure gauge with the other (preferably the right hand).
- Shut the air-flow valve on the bulb by turning the screw anticlockwise.
- Squeeze the bulb with one hand to begin inflating the cuff. You can now listen to your pulse with the stethoscope.
- Pump the cuff again until a blood pressure reading is acquired.
- Systolic pressure must be greater than 30 mm Hg. There isn’t any audio of the pulse at this time.
- Continue to relax the cuff while maintaining your gaze fixed on the gauge. To begin, turn the valve anticlockwise. The gauge will start to drop. With each heartbeat, it should drop by 2 to 3 points.
- You must now wait until the first pulse beat. Keep track of the gauge reading as you listen to it. This is referred to as systolic pressure.
- Continue to deflate the cuff.
- Continue to listen intently until no pulse beats can be detected. The reading after the sound stops is the diastolic pressure.
- Allow your cuff to completely deflate.
In the scenario of a digital display:
- Hold the bulb in one hand.
- Turn on the power and prepare the monitor.
- Then keep squeezing the bulb to pump up the cuff. It’s preferable if you have a monitor with automatic cuff inflation. To begin, easily press the start button.
- Continue to watch the gauge until it reads 30 points higher than the systolic pressure.
- As the readings start to appear, maintain an eye on the monitor.
- Take note of the systolic and diastolic pressures that pop up on the monitor’s left and right sides.
- In the end, completely deflate the cuff.
- Don’t begin inflating the cuff if you do not get an accurate result. Repeat the procedure after nearly a minute.
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Continue To Check And Record
It is critical to maintain contact with a doctor and follow his or her instructions regarding when and how frequently you should check your blood pressure. When you want to know how to measure blood pressure effectively, keep track of the date, time, and systolic and diastolic pressure.
Conclusion
So, got an answer to ‘How To Use Blood Pressure Monitor Manual’? Well, having your blood pressure monitored regularly is crucial. This is highly relevant if you have heart disease or are constantly stressed. Use a machine that produces precise findings and works in your best interests. If you do have any issues or queries, you should see a hypertension specialist in your area for a personalized treatment plan.
