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What "Blood Pressure" Should Mean to You
What “Blood Pressure” Should Mean to You
Blood Pressure (BP): a measure of the pressure exerted by the blood as it flows through the arteries. Because the blood moves in “waves”, there are two blood pressure measurements:
Systolic Pressure: the pressure of the blood against the arterial walls when the ventricles of the heart contract (the pressure at the height of the blood “wave”)
Diastolic Pressure: the pressure of the blood against the arterial walls when the ventricles of the heart are at rest (the lower “wave”-present at all times within the arteries)
***Blood Pressure (BP) is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded as a fraction. The systolic pressure is written over the diastolic pressure; therefore, the systolic pressure is always the top number and the diastolic pressure is always the bottom number in the fraction.
The average blood pressure of a healthy adult is 120/80
Hypertension: a BP that is persistently above normal (sustained hypertension is a major contributing factor to a heart attack). A systolic pressure greater than 130 mmHG or a diastolic pressure greater than 85 mmHG require follow-up.
Lifestyle factors that contribute to hypertension: cigarette smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption, lack of physical exercise, high blood cholesterol levels, and sustained stress.
Hypotension: a BP that is below normal. A systolic reading consistently between 85-110 mmHG
Hypotension can be caused by: quick postural changes, the use of certain medications, bleeding, severe burns, and dehydration.
Systolic Diastolic Follow-up
<130 <85 Recheck w/in 2 yrs.
130-139 85-89 Recheck w/in 1 yr.
140-159 90-99 Recheck w/in 2 mo.
160-179 100-109 Refer to source of care w/in 1 mo.
180-209 110-119 Refer to source of care w/in 1 wk.
>120 >120 Refer to source of care immediately
-Determinants of Blood Pressure-
Pumping Action of the Heart: When the pumping action of the heart is weak, less blood is pumped into the arteries (low cardiac output) and you have lower blood pressure. When the pumping action of the heart is strong, more blood is pumped into the arteries (high cardiac output) and the blood pressure will be higher.
Peripheral Vascular Resistance: Peripheral resistance can increase BP. The smaller the space within the artery, the greater the resistance. This is why we want to avoid plaque build-up on the walls of our arteries, it will only add resistance to the flow of blood.
Blood Volume: When blood volume decreases, BP decreases. Blood volume may decrease due to dehydration or bleeding. When blood volume increases, BP increases.
Blood Viscosity: BP is higher if our blood is viscous (thick).
Vital Signs: body temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure. These are checked to monitor the functions of the body and are the most basic assessment of your well-being.
-Other Factors that Affect Blood Pressure-
Age: BP rises with age, peaking at puberty and then declining somewhat. Older adults, however, have less elasticity of the arteries, meaning that their arties can be more rigid and less giving to the pressure of the blood. Therefore, their systolic pressure may be elevated. Likewise, their arteries do not retract as flexibly, so their diastolic pressure may be elevated as well.
Exercise: Physical exercise temporarily increases BP. You should wait at least 20-30 minutes after exercise to measure your resting BP.
Stress: Overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (you may have heard this referred to as your “fight-or-flight response) increases BP. It causes your arteries to constrict, razing your BP.
Race: African American males over 35 years of age tend to have higher blood pressures than males of other races of the same age.
Gender: After puberty, females tend to have lower BPs than males of the same age; this difference is thought to be due to hormonal variations. After menopause, women tend to have higher BPs than they did before
Obesity: Both child and adult obesity can cause high blood pressure
Medications: MANY medications alter blood pressure. Check your medication’s side effects for words like “hypotension” or “hypertension”. These words may mean that your medications can cause you to experience unusually low blood pressure or unusually high blood pressure.
-All Vital Signs-
Vital Signs: Body temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure are all vital signs. These are checked to monitor the functions of the body and are the most basic assessment of your well-being.
Age: Adults
Temperature: 98.6F
Pulse/min (Average and Ranges): 80 (60-100)
Respirations/min (Average and Ranges): 16 (12-20)
Blood Pressure: 120/80
Age: Older Adult/Elderly
Temperature: 98.6F
Pulse: 70 (60-100)
Respirations/min (Average and Ranges): 16 (15-20)
Blood Pressure: Increased, esp. diastolic.
