Blood Pressure Monitors – Take Control of Your Heart Health

Author: Joel Henderson

Author: Joel Henderson

According to the American Heart Association, somewhere in the area of 74.5 million people above the age of 20 suffer from high blood pressure. That's one out of every three adults in the US alone. Prevention is one of the easiest and most effective means of combating heart health issues throughout adulthood, especially high blood pressure also known as hypertension. With regular use of a blood pressure monitor, you can take an active role in maintaining your heart health in your own prevention plan. If you suffer from high blood pressure and you're relying on blood pressure readings from the machine at the local grocery store or if you're only getting your blood pressure monitored at the doctor's office, you are seriously placing your health in jeopardy. Using a heart rate monitor to track your pulse throughout the day is a step in the right direction, but a heart rate monitor wont measure your blood pressure, which is a much greater indicator of your overall level of risk. With the use of a blood pressure monitor, you can easily and conveniently check your blood pressure throughout the day to get a base line of what is normal for you and to identify the times of the day in which your blood pressure may reach more critical levels. The degree of present technology inherent in modern blood pressure monitor designs renders the process of checking blood pressure throughout the day nearly effortless. You can still do things the old fashioned way with an analog or manual device, but the newer electronic blood pressure monitors on the market today make regular checks of your blood pressure a nearly effortless task with readings displayed digitally or even on paper to discuss with your doctor. Once you settle on a specific device, bring your blood pressure monitor to your doctor's office so he or she can properly adjust the fit and demonstrate how to use your device. If you're not able to get to the doctor's office right away, you can also take your device to a local pharmacist for proper instruction, as most pharmacists are educated in proper use of blood pressure devices. Be sure to follow the manufacturer directions as well when it comes to maintaining your device since most BP monitors require being recalibrated once every year. So what exactly is blood pressure? As the heart pumps blood throughout the circulatory system, the blood vessels expand and contract with the outward pressure of the blood flowing through the veins and arteries. In any blood pressure reading there are two types of blood pressure being measured. The first is systolic pressure, and it is the point at which the blood vessels are at their maximum expansion as the blood passes through. At this point the heart is also at the end of a cardiac cycle, with the ventricles being completely contracted. The other is diastolic pressure, which occurs when the ventricles in the heart expand, filling with blood and relieving pressure on the blood vessels. So the diastolic pressure measurement is recorded at the lowest point in the cycle when a minimum pressure level is present on the blood vessel walls. Think of blood pressure in sort of a wave pattern, with systolic pressure occurring in the upward curve and diastolic pressure occurring on the curve downward. These two measurements systolic and diastolic pressure are what get measured during a given blood pressure reading. Since these rates may vary throughout the day based on level of activity and other factors, it is good idea to take several BP readings each day or only measure your BP at the same time each day. With all this in mind, you and your physician can begin to get a good idea of your present heart health and what changes you may need to make.About the Author:

Joel Henderson is an up-and-coming online money-maker. You can follow his exploits so you can save precious time and money in your own adventures at Upstart Earner

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