Blood pressure is correlated to blood pressure in the arteries ... Speaking of "blood pressure" is also talk of "blood pressure": indeed, this pressure also corresponds to the force exerted by blood against the walls of arteries and therefore heart rate. The force behind the artery wall: if we speak strictly, we can say that the "tension" is the result of "pressure" and the elasticity of artery walls ... At international level, we use the Pascal, noted "Pa" to measure blood pressure.

However, measurements are also very often with the use of blood pressure in inches of mercury (ie in "cmHg), and sometimes in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). We express the two blood pressure measurements. The first is the maximum pressure when the heart contracts (this is called "systolic") and the second minimum pressure at the time of "relaxation" of the heart (this is called "diastole »...). The blood pressure numbers vary from one minute to another in the same individual. Indeed, one can consider that the effort and stress will increase blood pressure when the rest will fall ... Same, taking voltage will be subject to many "artifacts" and should ideally be taken lying down. The patient should also be at rest, for taking into account the dreaded "white coat effect, which sometimes makes the tension of the patient increases because of the nervousness induced by far!

It is also not neglect to check the fit between the size of cuff size and arm when the cuff is too small, we may have a false elevation of blood pressure data (this effect is called "strong-arm effect") . The reference method chosen by most practitioners is the extent to cuff with stethoscope (called "counterpulsation"). This measure is a patient in a reclining position, with arms along the body after about five to ten minutes of rest.

 The arm is maintained in this framework has heart level (If the arm is too low, the pressure may be overestimated). Moreover, the size of the cuff should be appropriate to the size of the arm (if the cuff is too small, the pressure will be overestimated). Initially, we measured the pressure in both arms. The pressure can sometimes be a little higher in one arm than another: we consider in this case that the highest pressure is the benchmark ... Currently, during a consultation, we recommend practitioners to measure blood pressure at the beginning and the end of the consultation, to avoid the syndrome of the white coat "described above mainly due to anxiety patient generated by the presence of medical staff ...

If blood pressure is too high all the time, one speaks of hypertensionWhile if it is too low there is talk of hypotension. In severe cases, if blood pressure falls, it comes to cardiovascular collapse, which can cause shock. Note that blood pressure should be monitored particularly when Pregnancy.