Evaluation of blood pressure is essential in assessing cardiovascular health. It is used in screening for hypertension, and for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment in patients with established hypertension. In the routine outpatient setting, blood pressure is measured indirectly. Thus, it is important that proper techniques be used in order to produce consistent and reliable readings. In adults, a normal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg for systolic and less than 80 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure. Higher levels are classified as prehypertensive: a systolic blood pressure between 120 and 139 mm Hg and a diastolic . . . .
Overview
Equipment
Preparation
Measurement
Tips and Troubleshooting
References
Pickering TG, Hall JE, Appel LJ, et al. Recommendations for blood pressure measurement in humans and experimental animals. I. Blood pressure measurement in humans: a statement for professionals from the Subcommittee of Professional and Public Education of the American Heart Association Council on High Blood Pressure Research. Hypertension 2005;45:142-161. [Free Full Text]
Beevers G, Lip GY, O'Brien E. ABC of hypertension: blood pressure measurement. II. Conventional sphygmomanometry: technique of auscultatory blood pressure measurement. BMJ 2001;322:1043-1047. [Free Full Text]
Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, et al. Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension 2003;42:1206-1252. [Free Full Text]
Perloff D, Grim C, Flack J, et al. Human blood pressure determination by sphygmomanometry. Circulation 1993;88:2460-2470. [Free Full Text]
Related Letters:
Blood-Pressure Measurement
Terentes-Printzios D., Vlachopoulos C., Stefanadis C., Dudeja S. K., Dudeja R. K., Williams J. S., Brown S., Conlin P. R.
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N Engl J Med 2009;
360:2034-2035, May 7, 2009.
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