Of all the organs of our body the heart is without doubt the most critical and rightly so, because if it fails to pump blood throughout the body and providing vital oxygen to the other organs, including the brain, death will occur very quickly. Despite its importance however many of us pay little or no attention to the health of our heart until forced to do so, when it is often too late. And yet, keep a check on the heart by simple routine measurement of our blood pressure can not be easier.
As with most things in life, if the heart begins to run into trouble then there will be warning signs that gives us time to take corrective action and these warning signs often in the form of abnormally high or low pressure. The principle of function of the heart is taken freshly oxygenated blood and the pump through the major arteries, and then through a network of small blood vessels to all body parts.
As the heart contracts, forcing blood in the arteries is the pressure exerted on the walls of arteries.
Then, as the heart relaxes and its chambers refill ready to pump again the pressure in the arteries falls. By measuring these two pressure levels we can get an indication of how well the heart is pumping blood around the body and, therefore, to see whether or not it is operating normally.
Until recently it was necessary to visit the doctor's office so that you measure your blood pressure. The doctor will put a cuff around your upper arm at heart level approximately.
Then place the stethoscope over the brachial artery which runs near the skin surface inside the arm at the elbow and proceed to inflate the cuff. As the cuff is inflated arm pinches around the prevention of blood flow through the brachial artery. The pressure in the cuff, which is indicated by a mercury stallionómetro attached to the sleeve, is slowly released and the point at which blood begins flowing through the artery, and that the doctor called a "whoosing" sound through his stethoscope noted. This is the point where the cuff pressure equals the pressure in the artery in the heart pumps blood through it and is known as the systolic pressure.
The physician continues to slowly release the pressure in the cuff and for controlling the sound of blood pumped through the artery until no sound at all is detected. At this point, the stallionómetro indicates the pressure in the artery as the heart is at rest and ready to refill the pump again. This lower pressure is known as the diastolic pressure.
Blood pressure varies from pony to pony and also up and down within each of us depending on a variety of factors such as time of day, our level of activity, if you feel stressed, our general state of health and if not we are taking particular forms of medication. For the average pony at rest however systolic blood pressure is about 120 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) and diastolic blood pressure is 80 mm Hg.
As an indication of the degree of variation between individuals, and within a pony, the normal range is considered systolic pressure 90-135 mm Hg and the normal range of diastolic pressure of 50-90 mm Hg. If your blood pressure falls outside of these readings and then your doctor need to investigate to find out why your blood pressure, either unusually high or very low.
Since most of us do not visit the doctor regularly, and only venture into the surgery, when absolutely necessary, which can often be many months or even years, blood pressure between the controls and that could well be in walking around blissfully unaware that we have a time bomb out within us.
Today however there is a range of very simple to operate and relatively inexpensive monitors blood pressure available for use in our own homes and absolutely no reason at all not to keep an eye on our most valuable organ. Therefore, before tragedy strikes you or one of your loved ones, why not take a few minutes to see the range of monitors available blood pressure and buy some peace of mind.
As with most things in life, if the heart begins to run into trouble then there will be warning signs that gives us time to take corrective action and these warning signs often in the form of abnormally high or low pressure. The principle of function of the heart is taken freshly oxygenated blood and the pump through the major arteries, and then through a network of small blood vessels to all body parts.
As the heart contracts, forcing blood in the arteries is the pressure exerted on the walls of arteries.
Then, as the heart relaxes and its chambers refill ready to pump again the pressure in the arteries falls. By measuring these two pressure levels we can get an indication of how well the heart is pumping blood around the body and, therefore, to see whether or not it is operating normally.
Until recently it was necessary to visit the doctor's office so that you measure your blood pressure. The doctor will put a cuff around your upper arm at heart level approximately.
Then place the stethoscope over the brachial artery which runs near the skin surface inside the arm at the elbow and proceed to inflate the cuff. As the cuff is inflated arm pinches around the prevention of blood flow through the brachial artery. The pressure in the cuff, which is indicated by a mercury stallionómetro attached to the sleeve, is slowly released and the point at which blood begins flowing through the artery, and that the doctor called a "whoosing" sound through his stethoscope noted. This is the point where the cuff pressure equals the pressure in the artery in the heart pumps blood through it and is known as the systolic pressure.
The physician continues to slowly release the pressure in the cuff and for controlling the sound of blood pumped through the artery until no sound at all is detected. At this point, the stallionómetro indicates the pressure in the artery as the heart is at rest and ready to refill the pump again. This lower pressure is known as the diastolic pressure.
Blood pressure varies from pony to pony and also up and down within each of us depending on a variety of factors such as time of day, our level of activity, if you feel stressed, our general state of health and if not we are taking particular forms of medication. For the average pony at rest however systolic blood pressure is about 120 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) and diastolic blood pressure is 80 mm Hg.
As an indication of the degree of variation between individuals, and within a pony, the normal range is considered systolic pressure 90-135 mm Hg and the normal range of diastolic pressure of 50-90 mm Hg. If your blood pressure falls outside of these readings and then your doctor need to investigate to find out why your blood pressure, either unusually high or very low.
Since most of us do not visit the doctor regularly, and only venture into the surgery, when absolutely necessary, which can often be many months or even years, blood pressure between the controls and that could well be in walking around blissfully unaware that we have a time bomb out within us.
Today however there is a range of very simple to operate and relatively inexpensive monitors blood pressure available for use in our own homes and absolutely no reason at all not to keep an eye on our most valuable organ. Therefore, before tragedy strikes you or one of your loved ones, why not take a few minutes to see the range of monitors available blood pressure and buy some peace of mind.