Correct determination of pressure

To understand how to measure blood pressure at home, you need to understand the rules for performing the procedure. They are designed to give you the most accurate results. The rules for measuring blood pressure look like this:

• Before the procedure, you need to relax and it is advisable to rest for half an hour, since you need to measure the pressure in a state of complete calmness. Otherwise, the indicators will be overestimated.
• If blood pressure is measured in children, then before the procedure, the child needs to explain its features and ask him to sit quietly.
• The methods for measuring pressure on the arms and legs are not very different. The cuff should be worn on the thigh, and pulse tones are heard in the popliteal cavity. However, many cannot understand how to correctly measure the pressure on the legs due to the large difference in indicators. This is due to the structure of the muscles and the features of the blood circulation of the lower extremities, therefore, it is better for beginners to determine blood pressure on the hands.
• Correct blood pressure measurements are taken in a well-ventilated area with normal temperatures. If it is hot, the vessels will dilate and the indicators will be too low, and in the cold they will narrow, and the result will be high.

With arterial hypertension, a person's condition worsens. He has headaches, weakness, shortness of breath, chest pain and numbness in his limbs. If the problem touches the first time, then you need to consult a doctor. He should tell you how to correctly measure blood pressure and what this manipulation is. Gradually, the patient will get used to this procedure and learn by heart the algorithm of actions.

If a patient has hypertension, it is important to know not only how to measure blood pressure, but also how often it needs to be done.

It is advisable to do this at least 2 times a day and record the result. It will be more accurate if blood pressure is measured at the same time, 3 times for each hand with a break of 2 minutes.

Contraindications before the procedure

Before measuring pressure, you need to find out what cannot be done an hour before the procedure:

• get physical activity;
• worry;
• smoking;
• there is;
• drink alcoholic beverages, as well as strong tea and coffee.

The pressure is measured several hours after the use of antihypertensive drugs, so as not to distort the results. For this reason, the treatment of hypertension must be correctly combined with constant pressure monitoring. This also includes any drops for the nose or eyes that can affect the performance.

When the condition worsens due to arterial hypertension, it is extremely important to know how to measure blood pressure at home, because this will have to be done almost every hour. All the results must subsequently be shown to the doctor so that he can see the dynamics of the development of the disease.

Choosing a hand for measuring blood pressure

Many people are worried about the question: on which hand the pressure is measured, because the accuracy of the final figures may depend on this. Doctors advise taking measurements on both limbs, and then making another circle. Before measuring the pressure 2 times, you need to wait 3-4 minutes. The results obtained should be recorded. They will help you choose which hand to measure the pressure correctly, since from now on it will be possible to carry out the procedure on the limb on which the indicators were overestimated.

Sometimes the blood pressure readings on both limbs are the same. In this case, it is possible to understand which hand to measure the pressure on, according to other criteria, for example, a right-handed person, or a left-handed person.

If the right limb is used predominantly, then the measurement should be carried out on the left, and vice versa.

Difference in blood pressure

Sometimes the diagnosis of other pathologies depends on which hand to measure the pressure on. For example: the kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas affect the right hemisphere, and the lungs, upper limbs and heart act on the left. That is why different pressure on the hands has causes not only associated with the cardiovascular system, but also with malfunctions of organs.

Finding out the algorithm for measuring blood pressure on different hands is especially important if the difference in indicators is 15 units or more. If such an increase has been observed for a long time, then the chance of complications increases. The patient needs to be examined immediately to find the cause of the high blood pressure on the left arm or right.

The affected left or right side of the brain sometimes presents with the following symptoms:

• worsening reaction;
• weakness and apathy;
• headaches and dizziness.

People who do not know which arm to measure pressure on, often carry out the procedure on one limb. Doctors advise people, especially those with hypertension, to first learn how to measure blood pressure, and then do it on both hands. In this case, there should be no error.

Causes of high blood pressure on the left hand

High pressure on the left hand is especially noticeable in left-handed people who actively use the limb. The difference can be up to 10-15 units. In people for whom the main right hand, on the left limb, the indicators can also be slightly increased. Doctors explain the deviation by an anatomical feature. On the left hand, food comes directly from the aorta, and on the right - from the brachiocephalic trunk, so the blood pressure is lower here.

Causes of high blood pressure on the right hand

Blood pressure on the right hand may be slightly higher than the left if the person is right-handed and actively involved in sports. Doctors explain this by the fact that constant stress on the muscles of the shoulder girdle makes them larger and denser. The arteries passing through this area are compressed, so the blood pressure in the right arm increases.

Situations in which there is a large difference in blood pressure

Often the problem is that a person does not know how to measure blood pressure correctly. Even if you do not read the information on the Internet and do not consult a doctor, there are instructions for measuring in the box with each tonometer, but few people read it.

In more rare cases, the situation is aggravated by the fact that a person does not understand which arm to measure blood pressure on and constantly does it on different limbs. Gradually, the difference in blood pressure begins to increase, but the patient will not know about it until the visible symptoms appear.

Differential pressure situations are as follows:

• There is normal pressure on one limb and high pressure on the other. In this case, the problem often lies in the development of VSD and anatomical abnormalities of the aorta and other arteries that feed the arms.
• High pressure on one limb and even higher on the other. This situation arises due to the development of hypertension, VSD, as well as due to stress, overload and lack of sleep.
• Low pressure on one limb and high or normal pressure on the other. In this case, it is often a matter of blockage or compression of an artery.

The situations listed above do not arise primarily immediately, but only after a long time.That is why it is important not only to understand on which hand the pressure should be measured, but also to periodically carry out the procedure on both limbs. In this case, the occurrence of many pathologies can be avoided.

Methods for determining blood pressure

Blood pressure measurement methods differ and much depends on the skill of the person performing the procedure. It will be difficult for a beginner to use a mechanical tonometer, so it is better for him to use a semi-automatic or electronic version of the device. The technology of application in this case will be different, but the measurement is much easier.

There are such methods of measuring pressure:

• auscultatory;
• palpation;
• oscillometric.

Auscultatory method for determining blood pressure

Auscultatory blood pressure measurement is the most common technique used in most hospitals. It requires a conventional mechanical tonometer with a pear and a stethoscope. This technique for measuring blood pressure was created at the beginning of the twentieth century by NS Korotkov, therefore it is often called "Korotkov's measurement".

You can find out how to correctly measure blood pressure according to the Korotkov method by looking at the following algorithm of actions:

• Fix the cuff 3 cm from the elbow bend.
• The diaphragm of the stethoscope should fit snugly around the flexion of the elbow. It is impossible to squeeze this place with it, since it will not be possible to measure the pressure exactly due to the clamping of the radial artery and the creation of additional compression.
• A pear is drawn into the cuff so that the end stop is 30 mm higher than the end of the pulsation.
• The valve on the pear is opened little by little to release the air. The first pulse tones heard are the upper (systolic) pressure. The latter are the lower indicator (diastolic).

On which hand the pressure can be measured, doctors determine by such a criterion as a left-handed person or a right-handed person. If a deviation from the norm is detected, then the procedure is also carried out on the other limb.

Palpation method for determining blood pressure

The methods of measuring pressure with a mechanical tonometer differ slightly from each other, therefore, the palpation method is practically identical to the auscultatory one. The only difference is that there is no need to buy a stethoscope. Fingers are used instead. On which hand you need to measure the pressure is determined in the same way as in other cases.

Anyone who knows auscultatory technique can figure out how to correctly measure blood pressure by palpation. The algorithm of actions is actually the same, but instead of a stethoscope, the index and middle fingers are applied. Otherwise, these methods of studying blood pressure are no different.

Oscillometric method for determining blood pressure

Nowadays, most people use the oscillometric method of measuring blood pressure, since they do not need to listen to the pulse tones on their own.

In the case of it, the human factor is excluded due to the electronic sensor, so errors are much less common. Due to this advantage, other methods of measuring blood pressure have already become irrelevant for the majority of people suffering from arterial hypertension.

If you understand how to correctly measure pressure with the oscillometric method, you can feel the following benefits:

• Accurate results.
• The ability to comfortably measure the pressure for people who see or hear poorly.
• Even children can figure out how to correctly measure blood pressure with this method, due to the ease of use.
• During the determination of blood pressure, the presence of extraneous noise does not interfere with the device in any way.
• You can use the tonometer over a small layer of clothing.
• Determines pressure even with very weak or vague tones.

However, even the most advanced methods of measuring pressure have their drawbacks, these are:

• Any movement of the limb greatly distorts the result and you will have to do everything anew.
• If the problem of high or low blood pressure is the development of cardiovascular problems, then the results may not be entirely accurate. In this case, it is desirable to hear pulse tones.

On which hand to measure pressure with an automatic tonometer is absolutely not important, but for accuracy it is advisable to carry out the procedure on both limbs.

Its essence lies in putting on the cuff and turning on the device with a button on the display. The electronic tonometer automatically detects the pressure in about 30 seconds. In the case of a semi-automatic device, you will have to pump air with a pear, but in general, the application technology does not change.

You need to select a cuff according to the size of your hand, because if it is too bulky or small, then the result may have an error.

Anyone should find out for themselves on which hand to measure blood pressure correctly, and how it is done. In this case, hypertension will not be taken by surprise. If necessary, you can consult your local therapist.

The doctor will explain all the features of the procedure and advise the simplest and most effective method for determining blood pressure.