The first, What type of sphygmomanometer do you have? Meccury Sphygmomanometer, Aneroid sphygmomanometer or Digital Sphygmomanometer. How to take blood pressure which you read by looking at a pointer on a dial?
A Digital sphygmomanometer has either a manual or an automatic cuff. The blood pressure reading will come up on a smallish screen.

• For a start avoid taking alcoholic beverages or anything with caffeine in it e.g coffee, tea some energy drinks, and-of course-no smoking, half an hour before you measure your blood pressure.
• Go to the toilet & empty your bladder prior to taking your blood pressure
• Wait restfully for 3 to 5 minutes before taking a reading & don’t talk
• Sit comfortably, not crossing your legs and with something as a back-rest
• Place your left arm at about the level of your heart on a flat surface (e.g a desk) & sit still (Try and use the same arm for every reading as there may be a slight variation of between 10 to 20 mm Hg between right & left arms)
• Then all you do is to wrap the cuff snugly around the upper arm (be sleeveless) with the bottom of the cuff about 1 inch (2.5cm) above the crease in your elbow. The cuff should fit snugly but there should be room to slide a fingertip under the cuff.

 

Then take the blood pressure:

• Turn on the blood pressure monitor & do what the instructions for your blood pressure monitor say.
• When the measurement has been taken, the heart symbol will stop flashing. The numbers tell you your blood pressure & pulse.
• Write down your Blood Pressure along with the arm used, date and time taken.. Let the air out of the cuff. Turn off the monitor and take off the BP cuff.

Using a manual sphygmomanometer to take your blood pressure

A manual sphygmomanometer is another way to measure blood pressure. It includes an inflatable cuff, inflating bulb, and a gauge showing the blood pressure. The stethoscope has 2 earpieces, tubing, and a diaphragm. You use this device to listen to sounds from the body. Read the directions before using your blood pressure kit.

Remember that blood pressure readings go up and down during the day. In the morning they are usually the highest after you have woken up and started moving and then they decrease throughout the day and are at their lowest in the evenings. Detail of using a manual sphygmomanometer to take your blood pressure.

What is normal blood pressure by age?

An annual reading of your normal blood pressure by age is the best benchmark of your physical health. The normal blood pressure for every one according to the American Heart Association (AHA) is less than 120/80 mm/hg.

Meaning, everyone with a blood pressure rate higher or lower than that should be careful of their diet and activities so that they do not develop hypertension or hypotension.

Even if the normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm/hg, it can vary slightly according to age. Since our body changes all the time, it is normal for our blood pressure to change as well. Here is a chart of normal blood pressure by age.

Age-	Minimum-BP	Average -BP	Maximum-BP
15 to 19 y/o	105/73 mm/Hg	117/77 mm/HG	120/81 mm/Hg
20 to 24 y/o	108/75 mm/Hg	120/79 mm/Hg	132/83 mm/Hg
25 to 29 y/o	109/76 mm/Hg	121/80 mm/Hg	133/84 mm/Hg
30 to 34 y/o	110/77 mm/Hg	122/81 mm/Hg	134/85 mm/Hg
35 to 39 y/o	111/78 mm/Hg	123/82 mm/Hg	135/86 mm/Hg
40 to 44 y/o	112/79 mm/Hg	125/83 mm/Hg	137/87 mm/Hg
45 to 49 y/o	115/80 mm/Hg	127/64 mm/Hg	139/88 mm/Hg
50 to 54 y/o	116/81 mm/Hg	129/85 mm/Hg	142/89 mm/Hg
55 to 59 y/o	118/82 mm/Hg	131/86 mm/Hg	144/90 mm/Hg
60 to 64 y/o	121/83 mm/Hg	134/87 mm/Hg	147/91 mm/Hg

• Choose your Best digital sphygmomanometer 2015
• Choose your Best manual sphygmomanometer 2015
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