Some Useful Information About Blood Pressure; What Is Blood Pressure - Omron M6 AC Instruction Manual

8. Some Useful Information about Blood Pressure

What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood flowing against the walls of the arteries.
Arterial blood pressure is constantly changing during the course of the heart's cycle.
The highest pressure in the cycle is called the Systolic Blood Pressure; the lowest is the
Diastolic Blood Pressure. Both pressures, the Systolic and Diastolic, are necessary to enable
a physician to evaluate the status of a patient's blood pressure.
What is Arrhythmia?
Arrhythmia is a condition where the heartbeat rhythm is abnormal due to flaws in the bio-
electrical system that drives the heartbeat. Typical symptoms are skipped heartbeats,
premature contraction, an abnormally rapid (tachycardia) or slow (bradycardia) pulse.
Why is it a Good Thing to measure Blood Pressure at Home?
Many factors such as physical activity,
anxiety, or the time of day, can influence
your blood pressure. A single
measurement may not be sufficient for an
accurate diagnosis. Thus it is best to try
and measure your blood pressure at the
same time each day, to get an accurate
indication of any changes in blood
pressure. Blood pressure is typically low in
the morning and increases from afternoon
to evening. It is lower in the summer and higher in the winter.
30
200
150
100
50
6 12
Example: fluctuation within a day (male, 35 years old)
Upper curve: systolic blood pressure
Lower curve: diastolic blood pressure
18
Time of day
24