Helpful Information About Blood Pressure - Medline MDS4001 Manual Del Usuario

HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE

What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force that blood exerts on the arteries. This force is constantly changing as
the heart beats. When the heart contracts, blood pressure reaches its highest value. This is called
systolic blood pressure. When the heart relaxes between beats, the value of blood pressure is lower.
This is called the diastolic blood pressure. The unit of measure for blood pressure is millimeter
of mercury, abbreviated mmHg. For example, an individual's blood pressure may be measured as 120
mmHg (systolic) and 80 mmHg (diastolic). This would be spoken as "120 over 80" and written as "120/80".
What Affects Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure can be affected by the following factors: eating, drinking alcohol or caffeine, smoking,
stress, exercise, physiologic condition, measurement site, body position, temperature, humidity, altitude,
and many other factors.
Remember that blood pressure can also vary throughout the day. It is important to take measurements at
the same time each day, and under the same conditions.
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