No wonder who you really are and what your age or history is, keeping your blood pressure tested regularly is a must for people of all ages. It’s because getting low or high blood pressure will be harmful to your health. What’s more, each of these conditions will potentially lead to a variety of several other chronic diseases if left unregulated. For example, the connection between Hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart disease is well recognized.
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What Is Natural with Blood Pressure
An American Heart Association reports that blood pressure readings of about 120/80 mmHg are thought to be expected. Pressure measurements above 130/90 mmHg are high and below 90/60 are perceived to be low. A hand exercised, and a successful blood pressure machine is the secrets to holding track on your blood pressure. Other machines can give you false reading if not tested.
However, when you’re at a doctor’s office to monitor your blood pressure-or when you test your blood pressure at home, you should know that the way you put your arms or body will impact blood pressure readings. Besides, whatever your age, your blood pressure readings on each arm will be different. Here’s what you need to learn about the conditions that influence your reading of blood pressure so that you can take better care of your health.
Place of The Arm
Research published in the Journal of Human Hypertension in 2003 describes that leaning your arms on a table when checking your blood pressure is likely to provide very different readings from when your arms rest on your sides. The former location is likely to yield elevated readings, whereas the latter can lower than the real readings. Studies also prescribe that you support your arm when reading so that your elbow lies at the level of your heart.
Place of The Body
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing in 2007 shows those blood pressure readings taken as you lay down or stand up are more likely to be distorted. When you get up, the blood runs to your feet, which is likely to send lower upper body readings. It’s probably the same when you lay down to check blood pressure. So, it’s better to sit straight while the blood pressure is tested.
Inter-Arm Variations
The Harvard Health Publishing article notes that blood pressure readings can differ based on which arm you take it from. This disparity between readings in different arms might be only a few mmHg, but tests suggest that if the difference between the arms is greater than 10 mmHg, it does not bode well for your wellbeing.
Recent research released in Hypertension explains that if systolic blood pressure tests (the upper number) in both arms indicate a discrepancy of even 5 mmHg, the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rises. This research shows that the 10-mmHg difference is the upper limit of stock and that it is best to test your blood pressure on both arms to determine the risk of heart failure better.
So, in conclusion, the easiest way to test your blood pressure is to remain straight when your right arm is at the level of your heart. It is similarly vital to calculate the changes in blood pressure between your arms every time you go in for a check-up.
