Measuring Blood Pressure - Measuring Vital Signs

Measuring Blood Pressure - Measuring Vital Signs

Measuring Blood Pressure - Measuring Vital Signs

Blood pressure is typically measured over the right brachial artery using a stethescope and an appropriately-sized sphygmomanometer. The patient is first asked to rest for 3-5 minutes in either a sitting or supine position. The cuff of the sphygmomanometer is then applied firmly, but not too tightly, around the bare arm of the patient, about an inch above the cubital fossa. The patient’s arm should rest in such a way that the cuff is at the same level as the heart. The examiner palpates the radial pulse with one hand while inflating the cuff with the other using the pump of the sphygmomanometer with the valve open. The cuff is inflated until the radial pulse disappears and then by a further 30mmHg. The valve of the pump is now closed. The diaphragm of the stethescope is placed over the brachial artery in the cubital fossa. The cuff is now deflated slowly by opening the valve of the pump such that the pressure drops at the rate of 2mmHg/second. The pressure at which Korotkoff sounds are first auscultated is noted as the systolic blood pressure. The pressure is allowed to slowly drop further and the pressure at which the Korotkoff sounds disappear is noted as diastolic pressure.

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Content

2.54 -> Measuring blood pressure.
6.28 -> Measuring vital signs belongs to the clinical daily routine.
11.04 -> They provide important information about a patient's physical and physiological status.
16.39 -> In addition to measuring respiration rate, pulse rate, and body temperature, it is
21.13 -> essential that blood pressure is controlled.
25.26 -> Blood pressure is measured on the patient's bare upper arm, after a three
29.52 -> to five minute period of rest.
34.11 -> To begin, palpate the brachial artery between the biceps and triceps.
41.89 -> Place the deflated blood-pressure cuff about one inch above the cubital fossa,
46.239 -> with the arterial arrow pointing distally.
51.98 -> The measurement should take place with the cuff at the same level as the heart.
57.129 -> The patient's arms should now be relaxed and slightly bent. Then palpate the
61.75 -> radial pulse on the distal forearm and quickly pump up the blood pressure cuff.
67.549 -> Once the pulse wave is absent, pump the cuff another 30 millimeters of mercury,
72.59 -> so that the cuff pressure is greater than the systolic pressure.
85.19 -> Now place the stethoscope diaphragm lightly on the medial cubital fossa to
89.91 -> auscultate the brachial artery.
93.52 -> No sound should be audible at this point, since the increased cuff pressure has
98.109 -> completely blocked distal blood flow in the artery, during both systole and
102.039 -> diastole. Carefully open the valve on the cuff so the pressure is released at a
107.799 -> rate of roughly 2 to 3 millimeters of mercury per second.
117.189 -> Because arterial compression still exists during diastole at this point,
121.329 -> blood turbulently flows and consequently produces a so called Korotkoff sound.
131.319 -> When these pulse synchronous beating noises are audible, the systolic pressure
135.579 -> can be read from the manometer.
144.68 ->
147.819 -> While pressure from the cuff is further released, the artery becomes less
151.959 -> compressed. As a consequence, the intensity of the turbulent blood flow
156.159 -> decreases until it is fully open during diastole.
160.52 -> Now, a non-audible laminar flow replaces the Korotkoff sounds. At this point, the
167.6 -> diastolic pressure can be measured from the manometer of the blood pressure
171.35 -> monitor. Afterwards, open the valve completely to
176.73 -> let all the pressure out and remove the cuff.
180.94 -> Measuring blood pressure can also be done while the patient is lying down.
185.93 -> The upper arm should again be at the same level as the heart and the elbow
189.53 -> slightly bent. Additional steps are the same as the directions described for
194.42 -> measuring blood pressure while sitting. Measure the blood pressure for each arm
198.89 -> to assess for potential differences, which would indicate an arterial
203.03 -> stenosis due to, for example, peripheral arterial disease.
208.27 -> If arterial hypertension is suspected, abnormal values must be measured at
213.49 -> least three times on two separate days, and possibly further evaluated with
218.2 -> self-measurement, or a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syp8hZuLLb4