Unit 4 Lesson 4: Blood Pressure Flashcards
What is blood pressure
. Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries during heart contraction
Systolic pressure
Systolic pressure is the maximum pressure exerted against the arterial walls as the heart contracts.
How is a blood pressure reading represented
A blood pressure reading will be represented by two numbers, systolic pressure over diastolic pressure, for example 110/76.
Why is have adequate blood pressure so important
Adequate blood pressure is needed to force blood out of the heart and circulate it through the body, continuously feeding the tissues with nutrients and oxygen.
Diastolic pressure
Diastolic pressure is the lowest pressure exerted against the artery walls between contractions of the heart, while it is at rest.
Hypertension
high blood pressure
Does Hypertension show symptoms
. Hypertension can quietly damage the body for years without any symptoms, hurting the heart, arteries, brain, kidneys, and eyes. But high blood pressure can also cause stroke and heart attack.
What is low blood pressure like
Low blood pressure, on the other hand, is not thought to be a problem unless symptoms develop.
Symptoms of low blood pressure
Symptoms of low blood pressure can include dizziness, fainting, blurred vision, nausea, and lack of concentration.
There are numerous factors that affect the blood pressure.
The volume of blood pumped per minute by the heart can raise the blood pressure (BP for short).
There are numerous factors that affect the blood pressure. What happens when the volume of blood in the body increased or if the heart contracts with more force?
. If the volume of blood in the body is increased, as happens during pregnancy, or if the heart contracts with more force, the volume of blood pumped will increase.
The volume of blood pumped can decrease due to
The volume of blood pumped can decrease due to dehydration, active bleeding, or from damage to the heart such as during a heart attack.
There are numerous factors that affect the blood pressure. Impact of increasde heart rate
Increased heart rate can also increase the volume of blood pumped up to a point—as the heart beats faster, there is less time for the parts of the heart to fill before the next contraction
What impact does the thickness of blood, how wide the arties are, and whater the arteries have good elasticity have
How thick the blood is, how wide the arteries are, and whether the arteries have good elasticity are also factors in the body that affect BP.
NAtual reasons for high blood pressure
Men have slightly higher BP rates than women, and people who have a family history of high BP are more likely to develop hypertension some time in life.
How does lifestyle impact BP
Lifestyle factors like high consumption of sodium or alcohol or smoking can increase BP.
Does caffeine casue high BP
Caffeine consumption has a short-term effect of raising BP, but it wears off.
To measure BP, you will need a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and a
sphygmomanometer
What impact do Stress, pain, and obesity have on BP
Stress, pain, and obesity can all have the effect of raising BP
being phyically fit and BP
Staying physically fit tends to lower BP, but during exercise, BP increases.
sphygmomanometer
a device to measure BP
electronic blood pressure monitors are slowly replacing these more hands-on tools. Electronic BP monitors
Electronic BP monitors are very easy to use by just following the manufacturer’s directions for the particular device.
How to measure BP
Make sure the patient is sitting quietly for at least five minutes before starting. With the patient either sitting up or lying down, support the arm above the level of the heart. Clothing must allow easy access to the upper arm without interference. Avoid using an arm that has an IV-line, other treatment, or injury to it. Wrap the appropriately sized cuff around the arm one inch above the bend of the elbow, making sure that two fingers can be comfortably placed under the edge. If the cuff is too tight or too loose, the reading will be inaccurate. While feeling the radial artery at the wrist, tighten the thumbscrew of the pressure bulb and pump to inflate until you can no longer feel the radial pulse. This is an approximate systolic pressure. Deflate the cuff completely and allow the arm to rest for at least 30 seconds. Place the stethoscope earplugs in your ears, locate the brachial pulse with your fingers, and place the flat part of the stethoscope over the pulse. Tighten the thumbscrew and inflate the cuff to 20-30mm Hg above the approximate systolic pressure. Deflate the cuff slowly and note what number is on the meter when the first pulse is heard—this is the systolic pressure. As you continue deflating, listen for when the last pulse sound you hear, which is the diastolic pulse. Completely deflate the cuff and remove from the patient’s arm. Then note the blood pressure readings.
