Hypertension: How to Monitor It

There are digitial blood pressure monitor (sphygmomanometer) that allows you to monitor your blood pressure without a doctor's assistance. There are several factors that can contribute to temporarily rise your high blood pressure levels.

1. Stress
2. Smoking
3. Cold Temperatures
4. Exercise
5. Caffeine
6. Certain Medicines

To manual read your blood pressure:

First, you need to locate your pulse by lightly pressing your index and middle fingers on the inside bend of your elbow.

Secure an arm cuff around your bicep with the stethoscope head over the brachial artery. Use the fabric strap to make sure the arm cuff is snug, but not too tight. Place the stethoscope in your ears. Tilt the ear pieces slightly forward to get the best sound.

Finally, Close the airflow valve on the bulb by turning the screw clockwise. Inflate the arm cuff by squeezing the bulb and listen for your pulse through the stethoscope. Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the arm cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points above your expected systolic pressure. At this point, you should not hear your pulse in the stetoscope. Keeping your eyes on the gauge, slowly release the pressure in the arm cuff by opening the airflow valve.

The gauge should fall only 2 or 3 points with each heartbeat. Listen for the first pulse beat. As soon as you hear it, note the reading on the gauge. This reading is your systolic pressure (the force of the blood against the artery walls as your heart beats.) Continue slowly deflateing the arm cuff. Listen until the sound disappears. As soon as you can no longer hear your pulse, note the reading on the gauge. This reading is your diastolic pressure (the blood pressure between heartbeats).

With these two reading, you should be able to determine your resting blood rate. The systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure. Some friendly advise from www.Gizmohealth.com .