Blood Pressure Lab

Systolic blood pressure is the pressure of the blood when the heart contracts and pumps blood out and diastolic pressure measure the pressure when the heart relaxes again. The stethoscope is used to measure the heart rate, while the sphygmomanometer is used to measure blood pressure. Using the thumb to measure pulse is not ideal because the thumb has a pulse in it as well. The sphygomomanometer measures blood pressure by putting pressure on the arm and listening to heart beats when the pressure is released. To take blood pressure of a person, first be sure that all of the air is out of the band. After checking this, double check that the valve is tightly shut. The band attaches to the upper arm and a stethoscope is placed under. Pressure is added to it until the meter reaches 150 mmHg. After reaching this pressure, the valve is opened to allow air to slowly come out. The recorder listens for a heartbeat and marks down when they can heart the first beat. Likewise, when they cannot hear a heartbeat anymore they record that as well. The number that was recorded when the heartbeats went away is the in the denominator of the fraction, while the first number is in the numerator.