ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE
■■ What Is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood against the walls of the arteies. Systolic pressure occurs when the heart contracts; diastolic pressure occurs when the heart expands. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
■■ What Affects Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is affected by many factors: age, weight, time of day, activity level, climate, altitude and season. Certain activities can significantly alter one’s blood pressure. Walking can raise systolic pressure by 12 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 5.5 mmHg. Sleeping can decrease systolic blood pressure by as much as 10 mmHg. Taking your blood pressure repeatedly without waiting an interval of 2 - 3 minutes between readings, or without raising your arm to allow blood to flow back to the heart, can also affect it. In addition to these factors, beverages contain- ing caffeine or alcohol, certain medications, emotional stress and even
■■ What Causes Variations In Blood Pressure?
An individual’s blood pressure varies greatly from day to day and season to sea- son. For hypersensitive individuals, these variations are even more pronounced. Normally, blood pressure rises during work or play and falls to its lowest levels during sleep.
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FLUCTUATION WITHIN A DAY
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Systolic Diastolic
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