Blood Pressure Is a Vital Sign For Health
June 13, 2008
People who go to the office of their doctor know that blood pressure is something that all good physicians monitor at every visit. Blood pressure is a vital sign that provides some important information to each doctor about the health of their patients. Generally blood pressure is not considered as vital signs but due to some scientific reasons it is also considered as a vital sign. Vital signs are the measurements of the patient’s body’s basic functions .The nurse usually takes the numbers of the pressure before the doctor does anything else. The nurse comes into the room and uses a blood pressure cuff and also a stethoscope to come up with a couple of numbers that mean something to the doctor. Many patients also know something about these blood pressure numbers because they soon realize that these numbers are important.
Blood pressure numbers are determined by using the blood pressure cuff instrument that the nurse puts around the upper arm of the patient and the heart beats are noted using the stethoscope. The cuff usually has a small pump mechanism connected to it and that registers the numbers on a chart. The nurse will use the pump to inflate the cuff to the appropriate point. Then the nurse will let the cuff deflate and numbers will be available. Most patients are interested in the numbers that the nurse notes down for the doctor although some patients leave all the information for the interpretation of the doctor.
Blood Pressure Problems Can Be Treated
The blood pressure numbers are an indication of the force of the blood circulating through the blood vessels of the person. The doctor and nurse have two numbers that provide them the necessary information on the blood pressure of that person. These numbers are referred to as the systolic number and similarly diastolic number by those in the medical professions. Systolic number indicates to the pressure inside the artery when the heart contracts and when it pumps blood through the body. Similarly the diastolic pressure indicates to the pressure inside the artery when the heart is at rest and is filling with blood. These professionals know which numbers indicate some problems. Normally the systolic number is about one hundred and twenty for healthy adults. The diastolic number is usually about eighty. Numbers above one hundred and forty and ninety would indicate a possible problem to a doctor and this has to seriously taken into account by the doctor. The readings are taken in the unit of mmhg which is millimeters of mercury.
If the numbers are higher than normal, the condition is called hypertension. Sometimes the numbers are higher in the office of a doctor because people are nervous when they go for a medical checkup. While taking the readings the person must b free and relaxed so that the readings can be taken clearly. In order to take the clear and exact readings doctors will often ask the patient to get their own measuring device so they can monitor their blood pressure at home when they are relaxed. If the numbers continue to be high, the doctor will recommend undergo a treatment for the patient. The treatment could include a drug therapy to lower the numbers for better health. Most people do not have to worry too much about high blood pressure because there are steps that each person can take to rectify the problem.
Summary:
Don’t ever worry if you have blood pressure. Keep a regular check of the blood pressure and follow the treatment prescribed by the doctor.
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