The incidence of hypertension has become extremely common, Three out of 10 people in China suffer from hypertension, More than half of the elderly suffer from hypertension, And most of them do not know it. Hypertension is a chronic disease that endangers life and quality of life for a long time. Starting from the normal blood pressure of 115/75 mmHg, For every 20 mmHg increase in long-term blood pressure, The risk of death will double. In many cases, We need to measure blood pressure not only when we see a doctor in the hospital, It is also necessary to take blood pressure measurements at home for yourself and your family. Research shows that teaching relatives with hypertension to monitor blood pressure and develop habits can greatly enhance their compliance with treatment, improve the treatment effect of chronic diseases, and ultimately improve the long-term survival rate. Today we will talk about family blood pressure monitoring.
Who needs to monitor blood pressure at home?
1. People Suspected of Abnormal Blood PressureOne measurement does not necessarily reflect the real situation. The common phenomenon in medicine [white coat hypertension] is that the patient is nervous and anxious in front of the doctor, the measured blood pressure is relatively high, and it is normal after fully adapting to the environment. Tension can make the blood pressure 30 mmHg higher than usual.2. People who already have high blood pressureMost people who already have hypertension need to take medicine for a long time to control their blood pressure. Long-term blood pressure measurement at home is of great significance for guiding treatment.3. People with high blood pressure but not yet meeting the hypertension standardFor those whose blood pressure is on the high side but has not yet reached the hypertension standard, special ambulatory blood pressure monitoring instruments should be used according to the specifications to make a definite diagnosis only after 24-hour monitoring. However, ordinary people can also roughly understand the situation by repeatedly measuring blood pressure at home.
Does how’s sphygmomanometer need to monitor blood pressure at home?
Although cardiologists use mercury sphygmomanometers to measure blood pressure, mercury sphygmomanometers are difficult to operate by a single person and require long-term training to accurately measure blood pressure. Therefore, to measure blood pressure at home, one must first purchase a reliable electronic sphygmomanometer.
1. What specifications?
China does not yet have a clinical accuracy test standard for sphygmomanometers, so if the budget is sufficient, sphygmomanometers marked with ESH, AAMI or BHS certified by Europe and the United States should be selected, such as most models of OMRON.
The cuff specifications of sphygmomanometers are different, so you should choose according to the thickness of your arm/wrist. Please inquire for details when purchasing.
In addition, electronic sphygmomanometers need to be calibrated once a year, and manufacturers must provide calibration services, otherwise they are not worth purchasing.
2. Which sphygmomanometer is better, wrist type or upper arm type?
When most people use wrist sphygmomanometers, the error is increased because they cannot flush the sphygmomanometers with the heart. Moreover, research shows that even if they are used in a standardized way, the reliability of upper arm sphygmomanometers is better than that of wrist sphygmomanometers.
Therefore, the upper arm electronic sphygmomanometer should be preferred.
Of course, wrist sphygmomanometers are smaller and more portable, and they can be measured without taking off their sleeves when wearing clothes for a long time, so they are also an option for people who travel frequently or in cold areas.
There is also a kind of finger sphygmomanometer on the market, and some also provide mobile phone App to help monitor and record. However, the blood vessels of the finger are very thin, there are too many influencing factors for tension changes, the measurement results deviate greatly from the upper arm sphygmomanometer, and the results of multiple measurements are also unstable.
As a specialist, he made it clear that the finger sphygmomanometer is completely unreliable and has no medical value.
How uses electronic sphygmomanometers to measure blood pressure?
1. Preparation before measurementDo not take strenuous exercise for 30 minutes before the measurement, avoid smoking, drinking, coffee, tea, etc., and go to the toilet in advance, find a chair or sofa with a backrest, and sit quietly and rest for 5 minutes. For hypertension patients, blood pressure measurement evaluates the effect of control, so the medicine must be taken on time and should not be delayed by the measurement.Step 2: Measure the actionAt the time of measurement, Relax your arms, On a heart-high table top, Back against a chair or sofa cushion, Relax your legs, Calm measurement. The wrong position of the arm and the force of the arm will cause large errors in the measurement results. As to which arm to use to measure blood pressure, There is no saying that men are left and women are right. In principle, it is OK to say that both arms are convenient, but the same side should be measured every time, so as to be comparable. The blood pressure of the two arms is often slightly different, but as long as it is normal within 20 mmHg, if the difference is too large, you should consult a doctor.3. What data should be recorded after blood pressure measurement?After the test, the blood pressure and pulse should be recorded in the notebook immediately, and the date and time of measurement, left arm or right arm, whether or not to take medicine and the dosage of medicine should be recorded, which is convenient for medical treatment.
Morning test or evening test?
Both ordinary people and patients with hypertension should understand a common sense-even if the interference of lifestyle and medication is excluded, one’s blood pressure itself fluctuates day and night during the day.
The most typical is [double peaks and one valley]-blood pressure is at a high level during the day, gradually decreases at about 8 pm, reaches a low point at 2 ~ 3 am, and starts to rise rapidly after getting up, reaching the highest peak of the day at 8 ~ 9 am, which is called [morning peak].
However, everyone’s above-mentioned time points are not the same, and a few even have the opposite-blood pressure during sleep is higher than during the day.
Therefore, if the test is only conducted once, hypertension may be missed just before the moment when the blood pressure of this person exceeds the standard is captured.
Therefore, some suggestions are given:
-Measure continuously for at least 5-7 days before going to see a doctor, once every day after getting up (before meals) and once before going to bed.
-For those who have just started hypertension treatment or have just adjusted the dosage of drugs, they should also take the tests once a day after getting up (before meals) and before going to bed until their blood pressure can reach the standard stably for at least one consecutive week, and then reduce the frequency.
-Patients with well-controlled blood pressure should be measured 1-2 times a week when their daily blood pressure is high, usually when they get up in the morning.
-For those who do not meet the diagnostic criteria for hypertension but whose blood pressure is on the high side (e.g. Greater than 130/80 mmHg but less than 140/90 mmHg, subject to the on-site conclusion of specialists), day and night blood pressure should be measured once a month and lifestyle should be improved.
How to understand the results of self-test blood pressure?
Monitor blood pressure at home, Results the standard was different from that of normal hypertension (140/90 mmHg), It is generally believed that family self-measured blood pressure above 135/85 mmHg meets the diagnostic standard. However, one measurement is not up to the standard. While suffering from diabetes, hypertension, Or elderly patients, The situation is different, Therefore, the right approach, Or record it truthfully, And consult a specialist. In addition, The significance of using electronic sphygmomanometer to monitor blood pressure at home mainly lies in providing more information for initial diagnosis. And cooperate with long-term treatment. Newly diagnosed patients have the best conditions to carry out a [ambulatory blood pressure monitoring], that is, to wear special instruments distributed by the hospital, continuous monitoring for 24 hours or even longer, so as to grasp the change rule of their own blood pressure and better formulate plans.
For the sake of your health and that of your family, come and learn to test your blood pressure. Don’t forget to follow the guidance of specialists.