8.Some Useful Information about Blood Pressure
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood flowing against the walls of the arteries. Arterial blood pressure is constantly changing during the course of the heart’s cycle.
The highest pressure in the cycle is called the Systolic Blood Pressure; the lowest is the Diastolic Blood Pressure. Both pressures, the Systolic and Diastolic, are necessary to enable a physician to evaluate the status of a patient’s blood pressure.
What is Arrhythmia?
Arrhythmia is a condition where the heartbeat rhythm is abnormal due to flaws in the bio- electrical system that drives the heartbeat. Typical symptoms are skipped heartbeats, premature contraction, an abnormally rapid (tachycardia) or slow (bradycardia) pulse.
Why is it a Good Thing to measure Blood Pressure at Home?
Many factors such as physical activity, | 200 |
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| Upper curve: systolic blood pressure | ||
anxiety, or the time of day, can influence |
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| Lower curve: diastolic blood pressure | |
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your blood pressure. A single | 150 |
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measurement may not be sufficient for an | mmHg |
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accurate diagnosis. Thus it is best to try |
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and measure your blood pressure at the |
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same time each day, to get an accurate |
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indication of any changes in blood |
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pressure. Blood pressure is typically low in | Time of day | |
Example: fluctuation within a day (male, 35 years old) | ||
the morning and increases from afternoon | ||
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to evening. It is lower in the summer and higher in the winter.
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