Blood Pressure

This Lab was teaching us how to measure blood pressure using a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer and what can affect blood pressure. Blood pressure was recorded while in the sitting, standing, reclining positions and before and after exercise. Blood pressure is defined as the pressure the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries during ventricular ejection.  The sphygmomanometer, also known as a blood pressure cuff is an instrument used to obtain the blood pressure readings by blocking the brachial artery in the upper arm.  Blood pressure is measured in two readings, systolic and diastolic and recorded in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Systolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries at the peak of ventricular ejection and diastolic pressure is the pressure during the ventricular relaxation. (Marieb, Mitchell, Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory Manual 10th edition)

​Measuring blood pressure is useful in determining how healthy the heart and blood vessels are.  An increase in blood pressure means more pressure on the walls of the arteries than normal.  High blood pressure is also known as hypertension.  Uncontrolled high blood pressure can injure or kill you.  It is sometimes called the “silent killer” because high blood pressure has no visible symptoms, so that you may not be aware that it is damaging your arteries, heart and other organs.  Possible health consequences that can happen overtime when left uncontrolled.  Damage to the heart and coronary arteries, including heart attack, heart disease, congestive heart failure, aortic dissection and atherosclerosis (fatty build up in the arteries that cause them to harden), stroke, kidney damage and vision loss. (American Heart Association, Why blood pressure matters, www.americanheart.org). There are different ways to help lower blood pressure. Preventive care can be used if detected early enough, diet, exercise or blood pressure medications are also used to maintain a healthy blood pressure.

​As with...