Monthly Archives: June 2009

Blood Pressure Cuff

Posted on by
Reply

Blood pressure (BP) cuffs are available in different sizes. The main idea to learn from the interpretation of this article is that the correct sizing of the cuff is necessary for an precise measurement. The BP cuff should be in proper size with the radius of the upper part of your arm and properly situated on the arm. These cuffs are no longer just being used at the doctor’s office or by EMS professionals – they are being used at home. A BP cuff is one of the components of the Sphygmomanometer (also known as the Blood Pressure Meter) used to determine the blood pressure. It is critical that the correct blood pressure cuff be used for people of size so that a diagnosis of problems can be made on the basis of exact data. A standard-sized blood pressure cuff should not be used on persons with an upper-arm circumference of more than thirty-four centimeter or just over thirteen inches. If you know you have the right size of cuff, you might want to debate taking it with you to each appointment and to the hospital. While there can be many reasons why large blood pressure cuffs are not used more often, lack of handily available larger cuffs and myths about cuff sizes are probably the most prevalent.  In real life, blood pressure level cuffs are often used inappropriately – especially in women of size. If you need a special blood pressure cuff, think about buying one of your own so you will always have it. The blood pressure cuff has become one of the most basic and commonly used tools in medicine.

Measurement using a blood pressure cuff

Using an incorrect cuff, which is the most common mistake in indirect BP measurement, can significantly distort BP readings. Considering there are other common errors committed during BP measurement, together with using the wrong cuff, the wrong measuring of BP is very common. If you only know your measurement in inches, you won’t be able to figure out which cuff is best for you, since most guidelines printed on BP cuffs are in centimeters. Write down your arm measure in both inches and centimeters, then put that data someplace secure so that you can double check it when needed. Aim for the best accuracy in BP measurements and then go from there.

The person taking the blood pressure should:

Support the arm of the patient at about the level of the heart (an unsupported arm or one that is too low or too high changes BP readings)

Not talk to the patient or let the patient talk (many nurses talk to the patient to relax them but this has been shown to boost BP)

Check the blood pressure level device to be sure it is properly calibrated (it should read precisely zero before beginning and should be calibrated frequently, a procedure which is often unheeded in offices)

Not pump the blood pressure cuff up too high at the beginning of the measuree (pumping the cuff too high also raises blood pressure)

Not take the blood pressure over your garment (the blood pressure cuff should not be placed over your sleeves).

Mercury manometers are reasoned to be the “gold standard” of measurement because their measurement is absolute and does not require re-calibration. First of all, avoid eating, smoking, and physical exertion for at least thirty minutes before taking a measurement. When the measurement is complete, the cuff will deflate, and your blood pressure and pulse rate will be displayed on the screen. Please be aware that having your blood pressure monitored at a pharmacy with an in-store device after you’ve been shopping or walking about might not provide you with the most accurate measurement. Monitoring your blood pressure at home allows you to attain a at ease state more easily and gives you the flexibleness to take your measurements at diverse times during the day. By keeping track of your home blood pressure readings, you can provide your health care professional with a log of your measurements over time. This information being added to your medical exam history is invaluable to the doctor to see and manage your high blood pressure.

Monitoring Your Blood Pressure

Monitoring your blood pressure at home or work offers several benefits one of which is that anxiety won’t cause spikes and can help determine if you have true high blood pressure or only white-coat hypertension. The definition of white-coat hypertension is where one exhibits elevated blood pressure in a clinical setting but not in other settings. Many types of high blood pressure can only be detected by monitoring your blood pressure at home. Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure in a informal setting, make certain your blood pressure medicine is working, and alarm you and your doctors to potential health complications. If you have prehypertension, or another condition that could contribute to high blood pressure, such as diabetes or kidney problems, home blood pressure monitoring could help your doctor name high blood pressure sooner than if you only have blood pressure readings in the doctor’s office. Self-monitoring provides critical data between visits to your doctor. Home and workplace monitoring may also help when the opposite occurs – your blood pressure seems fine at the doctor’s office, but is elevated elsewhere. Home monitoring may cut down on the number of visits you need to make to your doctor or clinic. By avoiding salty foods and regular monitoring with the best blood pressure monitor, you can contain blood pressure by controlling the amount of salt you consume. In general follow a high blood pressure diet to begin to prevent and even lower your blood pressure.

Conclusion

Blood pressure cuff should be the proper size with the radius of the upper part of your arm. Blood pressure cuffs are available in different sizes. Cuffs are available in a extensive range of designs that help health care providers customise their use for particular applications. You cannot always count on the doctor’s office or even the hospital to have the correct size blood pressure cuff and for it to be in working order. Though purchasing your own blood pressure cuff is not cheap, some are reasonably priced. If your arm is significantly larger than 16-17 inches or so,you may want to buy your own blood pressure cuff so that you do not have to worry whether your provider has a large enough cuff. Share with your provider the importance of using a large blood pressure cuff and about opposition you have met about using the cuff. This means it is even more vital that big moms become vigilant and uncompromising about blood pressure cuff size. Find resources that have blood pressure cuffs for larger-sized people. Use only a blood pressure cuff that is configured for your size arm. Using a blood pressure cuff that’s smaller than recommended mostly leads to incorrect high blood pressure readings.

Heart problems and excessive sweating could spell bigger problems

Posted on by
Reply

Want to know how to stop sweaty hands? This article might help you! Was it recently that you started having excessive sweat problems? You have to be careful since it can be an indicator of a dangerous medical condition. Watch how your body feels when you start sweating excessively. If it’s followed by chest pain you should consult your physician. You should use devices like Omron blood pressure monitor to make sure that your sweating is not accompanied by abnormal blood pressure levels.. You might also be affected by Palmar Hyperhidrosis. This is usually a genetic condition that has been experienced by members of your family. A lot of people wonder how to stop sweaty palms because of the potential work hazards as well. A good example would be a construction worker that handles cutting tools, he might injure himself if the tool slips out because of the sweaty hands. If you are up to the task, you can find out if your employer will allow you to undergo surgery to have the sweat glands clamped or removed completely.

Unfortunately that procedure is not safe. Most of the time your body will compensate by sweating more elsewhere. Which means that instead of sweating more from your hands you will have an excessively sweaty chest. If you are really unlucky, your hands might stop producing sweat altogether. Eventhough this sounds like a benefit it is not as dandy as it sounds. If you don’t sweat at all you might get the “sand paper” effect. It is a very unpleasant feeling, you hands sometimes crack start bleeding and you have to frequently apply the moisturizing cream (some of these creams also make hands slippery so you go back to square one).

Fortunately some people only need temporary relief, for example if you are planning on going to a social gathering which requires you to be sweat free (where you will have to shake hands or dance). There are multiple over the counter products that relieve the condition for a certain period of time. The main component of these creams and antiperspirants is Aluminium chloride. The solution is said to be effective for people that don’t mind a bit of stinging, since these powerful antiperspirants sometimes irritate the skin.. These solutions are only temporary, but might help if you have an important event coming up and cannot afford to be sweaty.

A good deal of research about the condition is currently underway. There has already been a substantial amount of progress, for example 70 years ago we did not know that using Aluminium Chloride can help you clog up the sweat glands. There is also hope for electrical shock therapy which uses a low voltage to create a barrier between your skin and the sweat glands. Hope this helps and good luck.

Reducing Your Blood Pressure

Posted on by
Reply

The Silent Killer

High blood pressure is a major health problem that affects many people – a lot of whom don’t even realize that they have it.Sometimes people are led to believe that merely changes in their lifestyle are enough to control their hypertension without any need for medication.Persons who have only mild or moderate hypertension will find this helpful.

Cutting back on sodium is very important in your efforts to lower your blood pressure.  Those affected with high blood pressure often claim that reducing their sodium intake reduces their blood pressure as well.You need to educate yourself about which foods are high in sodium and cut back on them or switch to some other food.

Eating more fruits and vegetabls and even some grains increases your intake of important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Changing your diet in this way together with a reduction in the amount of fats you eat will help you control your blood pressure.

Adding exercise to dietary changes will accellerate your blood pressure reduction.Exercise not only helps lower hypertension, but even people without hypertension have longer life expectancies if they exercise regularly.  An added bonus is that studies suggest that exercise not only reduces the risk for cardiovascular and other diseases, but can help prevent obesity, which is another high blood pressure risk factor.

Exercise is said to be the foundation for successful behavioral change programs.  Exercise has been shown to make people feel positive about themselves and helps to reduce stress, a factor that not only raises blood pressure, but makes you feel less inclined to stick to the positive plans you’ve set in motion.

Eating well and exercising are the cornerstone to reducing your blood pressure levels.Other factors can also help lower your hypertension.Reducing your alcohol and caffeine intake will also reduce your blood pressure.  You should strive to drink these things only in moderation, or not at all.Quitting smoking also makes a big differenc,too.You shouldn’t take these things lightly.There will always be something that is impossible to totally give up.Some of these behaviors are ingrained in your lifestyle, so modifying them may take a while.

Reducing stress can lower your blood pressure in itself.This is a permanent lifestyle change, but it will help you live ten or fifteen years longer.  If you find that you have stress that seems out of control, taking a stress management workshop may be in your future.

Though it is said that diet and exercise can reduce the need for blood pressure medication, it is important to discuss any and all lifestyle changes with your doctor, who can instruct you in any reduction of your current medication dosages.

It is advisable to check your blood pressure often to see how your corrective and preventative measures are doing.Fortunately, it is rather easy in this day and age to monitor your blood pressure on a daily basis . Blood pressure monitors for personal use are now readily available and inexpensive. Ther are digital home monitors now that are much improved over the earlier types and very easy to use. I say “now” because earlier models were inaccurate. And now everything is all right.

Controlling your blood pressure takes commitment and effort. It’s especially difficult because you don’t feel sick or are in pain. But hypertension gradually wears your body down at a faster rate than would be the case otherwise. That’s why they refer to it as the “Silent Killer.“

Dealing With Coronary Heart Disease

Posted on by
Reply

health experts

Health experts say the four major risk factors for coronary heart disease are: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and inactivity. Two of those factors may be partially hereditary and may be uncovered during a physical by the inflatable arm cuff test or a urinalysis. However, the other two factors are lifestyle choices that could really make or break your cardiovascular health.

Most people with coronary heart disease don’t realize they have it until it’s too late, even though basic medical tests can reveal telltale signs like elevated triglycerides and high cholesterol levels. Some people may experience “angina pectoris,” which is the medical term for discomfort, heaviness, aching, burning, numbness or pain in the chest, left shoulder, arms, back or jaw. Often this pain will feel similar to indigestion but won’t occur around meal times. Depending on what kind of angina you’re suffering from, the pain may come after exertion (stable angina), when sleeping and while out in the cold (prinzmetal’s angina) or sometimes even just suddenly while resting (unstable angina). Shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea and sweating often accompany the angina symptoms.

No matter what level of coronary heart disease you’re suffering from, lifestyle and diet changes are essential. All other treatments are merely complementary. In some cases, you may be prescribed medications to lower high blood pressure, oxygenate blood, slow the heartbeat down and open up restrictive blood vessels. In severe cases, balloon angioplasty surgery, stent placement or coronary bypass are needed. Health experts are looking into new treatments like transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR), which utilizes laser beams to blast through the channels in your heart muscle, freeing up blood flow. Angiogenesis provides substances through the vein or directly into the heart, where the transporters have failed. Enhanced external counterpulsation can stimulate the opening of blood vessels in a very non-invasive way.

While some people are born genetically susceptible to coronary heart disease, the overwhelming majority of us become victimized by our imbalanced eating habits, our 50 hour work weeks, our poor sleep quality, our lack of exercise, our smoking, our drinking and our stress. There comes a point where we need to realize that work could be the end-all of existence if we don’t better organize our priorities. On a positive note, more and more Americans are looking for healthier ways of living, judging by the number of self-help books flying off the shelves. There may not be an easy answer for lowering cholesterol or bypassing atherosclerosis, but with a positive attitude and a little bit of hard work, we can live a long, healthy life.