How do people get their blood pressure checked?

• Blood pressure is usually measured from the arm with a device called a sphygmomanometer
• The arm should be bare and an appropriate-sized cuff is wrapped around the upper arm
• A stethoscope is placed on the inside of the elbow where a pulse can be felt
• Pressure is created as the cuff is inflated, causing the blood flow to stop briefly in the arm
• As the air is released from the cuff, blood starts to flow again through the artery.

The person with the stethoscope is listening to the sounds made as the blood flows through the artery.  

The first sound recorded as a number is the systolic pressure. This measures the force the heart has to pump against (resistance) to get the blood to flow around the body.

The second sound recorded is the diastolic pressure. This measures the resting pressure when the heart relaxes.

Our environment can effect blood pressure readings, for example, some people feel anxious having their blood pressure recorded in a doctor's office. Anxiety and stress such as this can cause elevated blood pressure known as "white coat hypertension".

See also: High blood pressure

Original material provided by the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, 2005. Edited by everybody, June 2005.