Blood Pressure

Question 1

What is blood pressure ?

Answer 1

The pressure of the blood in the circulatory system, related to contraction of the heart and muscles that surround the blood vessels

Question 2

Where is blood pressure measured?

Answer 2

In the systemic circulation

Question 3

How is blood pressure measured?

Answer 3

A cuff is inflated around a relaxed patients arm, stopping the flow of blood through the artery.
The cuff is then slowly relaxed and blood pressure is measured

Question 4

What is systolic pressure ?

Answer 4

When the ventricles are pumping with enough force to overcome the pressure exerted by the cuff

Question 5

What is normal systolic pressure?

Answer 5

120 mmHg (male)
110 mmHg (female)

Question 6

What does average systolic pressure increase with?

Answer 6

Age, so 100 + age is a safe maximum

Question 7

What is diastolic pressure?

Answer 7

When the pressure of the blood is sufficient to keep arteries open, even when the ventricles relax

Question 8

What does the disappearance of a beat when the pressure is decreasing in the cuff indicate?

Answer 8

A steady flow of blood (diastolic pressure)

Question 9

What is normal diastolic pressure?

Answer 9

80 mmHg (male)
70 mmHg (female)

Question 10

When is hypertension diagnosed?

Answer 10

When the diastolic pressure is >10 mmHg above normal

Question 11

What is the equation for blood pressure?

Answer 11

BP = CO x PR

Question 12

What is the equation for CO?

Answer 12

CO = HR x SV

Question 13

How do the kidneys maintain blood pressure?

Answer 13

They regulate BP by removing excess water (and salt) from the body. The higher the BP, the more water is forced out in the nephrons. This reduces the volume of Lymph and lowers the blood pressure

Question 14

What is a characteristic of the blood when regulated by the kidneys?

Answer 14

Lowering the BP makes the blood thicker and more likely to clot

Question 15

What is the level of CO2 in the blood monitored by?

Answer 15

The carotid artery and the aorta

Question 16

Where are impulses sent to in the nervous system?

Answer 16

Impulses are either sent down the accelerator nerve (sympathetic nervous system) or the vagus nerve (parasympathetic nervous system)

Question 17

What effect does the accelerator nerve have in heart rate?

Answer 17

Speeds it up

Question 18

What effect does the vagus nerve have on heart rate?

Answer 18

Slows it down

Question 19

What do both nerves lead to ?

Answer 19

SA node

Question 20

What effect would stimulating the sympathetic nervous system innervation have on BP?

Answer 20

The accelerator nerve would increase HR, therefore increasing CO and thus increasing BP

Question 21

What effect would stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system innervation have on BP?

Answer 21

The vagus nerve would decrease HR, therefore decreasing CO and this decrease BP

Question 22

What do the stretch receptors in the heart do ?

Answer 22

They stretch the walls of the heart when more blood is returned due to exercising and the heart responds to this by beating faster and harder

Question 23

How is radial pulse measured?

Answer 23

Arm should be beside the body with the forearm horizontal and palm down. Place fingers around or under the wrist, supporting it. Fingers should lie down under the radial border.
Count the number of pulses in a 20 or 30 second period and record the pulse rate / min

Question 24

How is carotid pulse measured?

Answer 24

Place fingertips between the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the larynx. With 2 or 3 fingers, gently press the region until you locate a pulse. Determine HR by counting the number of pulses / min

Question 25

How is brachial pulse measured?

Answer 25

Located on the inside of the upper arm near the elbow. Turn your right palm up with the arm slightly bent at the elbow. Rest your arm on a flat surface. Place 2 fingers on the inner third of the elbow crease. Press firmly for approx 20 secs