Blood pressure monitor
Blood Pressure Monitor
A Blood Pressure Monitor (pronunciation: /ˈblʌd ˈprɛʃər ˈmɒnɪtər/) is a medical device used to measure blood pressure, the force exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels. The etymology of the term comes from the English words "blood", "pressure", and "monitor", which respectively refer to the circulating fluid in the body's blood vessels, the continuous physical force exerted on an object by something in contact with it, and a device used for observing, checking, or keeping a continuous record of a process or quantity.
Usage
A Blood Pressure Monitor is typically used in a medical context by healthcare professionals, though there are also models designed for home use. The device consists of an inflatable cuff to restrict blood flow, and a mercury or aneroid manometer to measure the pressure. It is always used in conjunction with a means to determine at what pressure blood flow is just starting, and at what pressure it is unimpeded. Manual sphygmomanometers are used in conjunction with a stethoscope.
Types
There are two main types of Blood Pressure Monitors: manual and digital. Manual Blood Pressure Monitors, also known as sphygmomanometers, require the user to manually inflate the cuff and listen to the blood flow using a stethoscope. Digital Blood Pressure Monitors, on the other hand, are automatic and inflate the cuff and measure the blood pressure on their own.
Related Terms
- Hypertension: A condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high. It is often diagnosed when a blood pressure monitor reads consistently high levels.
- Hypotension: The opposite of hypertension, hypotension is a condition where blood pressure is abnormally low. A blood pressure monitor can also be used to diagnose this condition.
- Systolic pressure: This is the highest pressure when your heart beats and pushes the blood round your body. It is one of the two values measured with a blood pressure monitor.
- Diastolic pressure: This is the lowest pressure when your heart relaxes between beats. It is the second value measured with a blood pressure monitor.
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