Blood Pressure Chart Number And What They Mean
That paper on which the doctor or nurse jots down blood pressure reading results is the blood pressure chart. The BP chart is an important part of the medical records as this is where part of the medical history of the patient is recorded. With the changing numbers in the readings, the doctor can determine whether the patient is a high risk one or not.
There are 4 things to look out for in the BP chart: the normal or base numbers, the prehypertensive numbers, the Stage 1 hypertension and the Stage 2 hypertension. The changing numbers of the pressure readings will indicate if the concerned patient belongs to one of the four categories. With the chart, the doctor can see the development of a risk that may or may not involve a heart attack.
The normal BP is measured in millimetres mercury or mmHg. For normal pressures, two pressures are taken at the same time: the systolic and the diastolic pressures. The systolic should be around 90 to 119 mmHg and the diastolic should be around 60 to 70 mmHg. If a little rise over and above those normal numbers then it can be considered as prehypertension. If there is a dramatic increase, then the doctor would have to diagnose either a stage one or a stage two hypertension.
Each category comes along with it an advice on maintaining a lifestyle or to learn how to lower blood pressure quickly if there is a jump in the results. The process usually involves a diet of avoidance of triglyceride ladened foods as well as exercise.
The blood pressure chart however is not a top secret chart where only the doctor can use it. A home based monitoring will also need a blood pressure chart for patients who have to be monitored daily. It is quite easy to write results down as the readings are made. For the reading itself, a home BP machine would be a good investment and it is quite easy to use, easier than a laptop.
All members of the family can make the readings and record numbers, even a child can do it. When the time comes for the regular checkups, or if there is an emergency, the numbers on the blood pressure chart would be of great use for the doctors as this will be a definite record of the BP to base a diagnosis on.
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