HEM-7322T-E_D_M.fm Page 43 Friday, July 27, 2018 12:03 PM
9. 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.
Upper curve: systolic blood pressure
200
Lower curve: diastolic blood pressure
150
100
50
6
12
18
Time of day
Example: fluctuation within a day (male, 35 years old)
EN
24
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