Monitoring your blood pressure at home
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood inside an artery. If the pressure of blood is higher than normal on two or more occasions, you may have high blood pressure (hypertension). The measurement is taken by temporarily stopping the flow of blood in an artery, usually by inflating a cuff around the upper arm, and then listening for the sound of the blood beginning to flow through the artery again as air is released from the cuff. As blood flows through the artery, it can be heard through a stethoscope placed on the skin over the artery inside the elbow.
Blood pressure is recorded as two measurements.
- The reading on the gauge when blood flow is first heard is called the systolic pressure. Systolic pressure represents the peak blood pressure that occurs when the heart contracts.
- The reading on the gauge when blood flow can no longer be heard is the diastolic pressure. Diastolic pressure represents the lowest blood pressure that occurs when the heart relaxes between beats.
These two pressures are expressed in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Systolic pressure, the higher of the two readings, is measured first. Diastolic pressure is the lower reading. These blood pressure measurements are recorded as systolic/diastolic. For example, if your systolic pressure is 120 mm Hg and your diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg, your blood pressure is recorded as 120/80 and read as "120 over 80."
Test Your Knowledge
People who have high blood pressure often don't know it because it usually has no obvious symptoms.
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| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: April 24, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD - Cardiology Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition | |
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