About Blood Pressure; What Is Blood Pressure; Why Measure Your Blood Pressure; Blood Pressure Standard - HoMedics Leader LDRBPA-040 Manual

ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE

What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the artery
walls while blood flows through the arteries. The
pressure measured when the heart contracts and
sends blood out of the heart is systolic (highest)
blood pressure. The pressure measured when the
heart dilates with blood flowing back into the heart is
called diastolic (lowest) blood pressure.

Why Measure Your Blood Pressure?

Among today's various health problems, those
associated with high blood pressure are very common.
High blood pressure dangerously correlates with
cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, blood pressure
monitoring is important for identifying those at risk.

BLOOD PRESSURE STANDARD

The table on page 6 contains defined levels for
hypertension that are publicly available from the National
Heart Lung and Blood Institute at the U.S. National Institutes
of Health (NIH)
(http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_WhatIs.html)
Users can compare their own blood pressure readings
against these defined levels to determine if they may be
potentially at increased risk.
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This table is applicable to most adults aged 18 and older.
Blood pressure tends to go up and down, even in people who
normally don't have high readings. If your numbers stay above
the "normal" range most of the time, you may be at increased
risk and should consult your physician.
Category
Normal
Prehypertension
High Blood Pressure
Stage 1
Stage 2
Although one can easily find where their own blood pressure
readings fall on this table, this monitor comes equipped with a
Risk Category Index that automatically compares each reading to
the defined levels and provides a helpful cue if your reading falls
into one of the stages that could potentially indicate increased
risk. See page 20 for more information on this feature.
Please note that cues provided by this monitor are only
intended to assist you in using this table. The table and cues
are only provided for convenience to help you understand your
non-invasive blood pressure reading as it relates to the NIH
information. They are not a substitute for a medical examination
.
by your physician. It is important for you to consult with your
physician regularly. Your physician will tell you your normal
blood pressure range as well as the point at which you may
actually be considered to be at risk
Systolic (mmHg) Diastolic (mmHg)
Less than 120 and Less than 80
120-139 or 80-89
140-159 or 90-99
160 or higher or 100 or higher
.
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