taking your BP at home

[maldorf]

Taking your bp manually with a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer is the most accurate way to get your BP. For those that wish to try it, I wrote out these brief directions. Its not realy that hard to do. There is a reason why the docs/nurses use this method on their patients rather than an automatic cuff. My directions may not be well written, but I think the idea gets across.
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GETTING STARTED
Put the cuff on either arm so that the bottom margin sits just above your antecubital space(the area where they draw blood).

Put the bell(think thats the term) of the stethoscope on your antecubital space so that part of it sits just under the bottom of the cuff. the bell is the circular part that is metal. YOu are going to be listening for your pulse here.

Pump the cuff up to a high enough level to cut off your blood supply. So id be safe and go up to about 200 or so.

SLowly release the pressure using the bulb. its important that you go slow so you can be accurate.

GETTING SYSTOLIC READING
Listen for the sound of your pulse. The second you first hear your pulse will be your upper number(systolic). At first you wont heart a thing because your blood cant travel past the cuff because the pressure in it is too high. Once you release the pressure to the point where your BP is higher than the cuff, the blood is going to get through and make a bumping sound against the bell. Each time your heart beats it will go BOOM! Tihs is somewhat loud.

GETTING DIASTOLIC READING
Proceed to lower the pressure more, slowly. When you get to the point where you cant hear your pulse anymore at all is your lower number(diastolic pressure). The pressure in the cuff is so low now that it doesnt impede blood flow anymore. This is the one thats harder to find, you have to listen real careful and have a quiet room.

Sometimes I put the bell of the stethoscope on the inside of my arm where the brachial artery is. YOu can feel your pulse really easy there, and sometimes I can hear that better than in the usual spot (antecubital space).

It takes some practice. I really feel like getting the systolic reading( your bp when your heart beats) is easier than getting your diastolic( your bp when your heart is not beating). Getting the diastolic requires you listen really careful to the point where you cant hear your pusle anymore at all.

 

[hollaatyaboyy1]

135/75 todaY still a little high but bette rthen yest

 

[maldorf]

135/75 todaY still a little high but bette rthen yest

Yeah, that's boarderline hypertension.

 

[hollaatyaboyy1]

opefully it goes down some more..im still feeling sick and run down but feeling better

 

[Dave_19]

Great post Maldorf, I take my own BP at home. I just suggest you buy a manual pump not an auto. Also take 3 readings and avg between the 3. If you do this often enough you get a great feel for how your body reacts to things effecting BP. For example try reading your BP relaxed prior to a 15 min sauna session and about 1hr relaxed post session. It can go many ways. I know sodium I am sensitive too, as well as many substances. I also know low carbs with mild cardio is enough to keep in more in control then a consistent regimen on scrips like vasotec. This is also a good way to find a healthy "sweet spot" with gear.

 

[myosin]

Nice...

Thanks, Mal...

Is it OK to offer just a couple thoughts? These are just a couple idea's to be a little extra anal

1) Take the BP routinely on your LEFT arm... the aortic branch that comes off the heart is larger going to your left arm.

2) Have someone take it for you... when taking your BP you really shouldn't be moving around, squeezing the ball, holding the scope, etc. Any moving can actually increase the pressure a decent amount.

3) Use the diaphragm of the scope, not the bell.

As an ICU nurse, we always use automatic cuff's, but, this is probably more d/t the need to multi-task and that we can cycle the cuff to take pressure's every minute, two minutes, 5, 10, etc.

 

[maldorf]

Thanks, Mal...

Is it OK to offer just a couple thoughts? These are just a couple idea's to be a little extra anal

1) Take the BP routinely on your LEFT arm... the aortic branch that comes off the heart is larger going to your left arm.

2) Have someone take it for you... when taking your BP you really shouldn't be moving around, squeezing the ball, holding the scope, etc. Any moving can actually increase the pressure a decent amount.

3) Use the diaphragm of the scope, not the bell.

As an ICU nurse, we always use automatic cuff's, but, this is probably more d/t the need to multi-task and that we can cycle the cuff to take pressure's every minute, two minutes, 5, 10, etc.

1. Yeah, probably right but I personally never found a distinct difference between either arm. If youre doing your own sometimes its easier to do one arm than the other.

2. Good point here. If you have someone else that can do it that would be a whole lot better. It is a bit awkward doing it yourself.

3. Yeah I wasnt sure of the terminology.

How accurate are those automatic cuffs in ICU? Can any of the ones available to consumers compare to those? Ive used automatic BP cuffs at home before and the readings were really innacurate.

 

[myosin]

1. Yeah, probably right but I personally never found a distinct difference between either arm. If youre doing your own sometimes its easier to do one arm than the other.

2. Good point here. If you have someone else that can do it that would be a whole lot better. It is a bit awkward doing it yourself.

3. Yeah I wasnt sure of the terminology.

How accurate are those automatic cuffs in ICU? Can any of the ones available to consumers compare to those? Ive used automatic BP cuffs at home before and the readings were really innacurate.

Yes- you are right, for the most part, either side is fine really... if anything what's more important is to have consistency. B/C of the size issue all the study's are done on the left, again, simply for consistency sake... but OTW, the difference isn't all that significant.

Automatic cuffs: funny, they can either be VERY accurte or WAY off haha- depends on the patient... if they are sitting still, no problem... but if they are moving around (combative, or a pediatric patient, coughing, etc.) then they are way off. Can be a real pain sometimes actually.

The only reason I mention the bell part is b/c the other side of the scope IS actually called the "bell" ... but it's pretty much used to listen for certain murmurs, or occasionally on infants d/t its/their size.

As far as the home ones... yeah, there can be a bit of a variance in those, BUT, I would say they would be good to look for a TREND- is my BP higher, lower, the same, ? etc.

 

[Ashop]

135/75 todaY still a little high but bette rthen yest

122/70 today for me. I monitor mine daily.

 

[totalrecomp]

118/76 booya!!! Hawthorn for the win!


Fasted AM BG level of 76 as well.

Maldorf thank you for being a voice for health monitoring. I for one pay closer attention to hematocrit and other factors now. People should realise there is more to worry about than just your E levels when using supps.

 

[maldorf]

As far as the home ones... yeah, there can be a bit of a variance in those, BUT, I would say they would be good to look for a TREND- is my BP higher, lower, the same, ? etc.

That was my opinion and why I made this post. I think for accuracy they suck, but it will show a trend. I suppose if you have your BP taken at the docs regularly, then using an automatic at home will work. The patient could get bp taken at doc and then right after come home and measure it and that would give them an idea of how much theirs is off. THen you could adjust what you measure at home accordingly. The of course there is the trend like you say, if the BP starts to trend up then you know you have some issues.

 

[maldorf]

Maldorf thank you for being a voice for health monitoring. I for one pay closer attention to hematocrit and other factors now. People should realise there is more to worry about than just your E levels when using supps.

Yeah, I know. All some novices worry about is getting bitch tits,lol.That is the least of ones worries really.