Overview
Your blood pressure number is one that doctors commonly use to measure your overall cardiovascular health. A patient information page at the “Journal of the American Medical Association” notes that elevated blood pressure puts extra strain on the cardiovascular system, which increases the risks of the patient developing kidney failure, stroke, heart failure and a heart attack, as well as blindness. Patients can have their blood pressure measured by a physician or nurse or use an automated machine.
Step 1
Identify your systolic and diastolic numbers. Blood pressure measurements are given as a pairing of two different numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures. The systolic pressure, the “Journal of the American Medical Association” explains, is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is pumping. The diastolic pressure is the pressure when the heart is at rest and represents the lower of the two numbers. Blood pressure is often written as systolic over diastolic pressure. For example, a patient with a blood pressure reading of 120/80 has a systolic pressure of 120 millimeters (mm) mercury (a common unit of pressure) and a diastolic pressure of 80mm mercury.
Step 2
Determine the extent of your high blood pressure. The Basic Clinical Skills course at the University of Florida explains that there are a number of different categories for hypertension. Normal blood pressure is less than 130/85. Borderline hypertension describes systolic pressures between 130 and 139 (with diastolic between 85 and 89). Mild hypertension describes systolic pressure that is lower than 160 or diastolic pressure under 100. Moderate hypertension encompasses systolic readings between 160 and 180 and diastolic measurement between 100 and 110. Systolic pressure between 180 and 210 or diastolic pressure between 110 and 120 indicates severe hypertension. Anything higher than that is termed a hypertensive crisis that requires immediate medical attention.
Step 3
Interpret the results based on the context under which they were taken. Several factors can cause blood pressure to be elevated temporarily. “White coat hypertension,” for example, is caused by the patient’s anxiety due to being in a doctor’s office. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) explains that birth control pills, cold-relief medications and some treatments for asthma can also cause blood pressure to increase. Caffeine, physical exertion and nicotine can also raise blood pressure.
Step 4
Take many readings over a specific time period. Blood pressure can fluctuate significantly from one reading to the next. As a result, patients should get their blood pressure measured several times per week and take an average of the numbers for interpretation.
About this Author
Adam Cloe is an MD/PhD student at the University of Chicago. He has a Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry from Boston University, where he won an award for excellence in undergraduate science writing. He has been published in various scientific journals.
