When measuring blood pressure, the left arm or right arm?

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I. What does it mean to have a high low pressure found at a physical exam?

Every time you measure your blood pressure, you get two values, one is systolic (high pressure) and the other is diastolic (low pressure).

Our current measure of hypertension is a high pressure of ≥140 mmHg or a low pressure of ≥90 mmHg measured on 3 different days without the use of antihypertensive medication.

Both high pressure and high pressure are considered hypertensive. However, many people are very concerned about the value of high pressure and often ignore low pressure.

High high pressure and low low pressure are mainly seen in the elderly, and chronic high pressure can easily lead to damage to the lining of blood vessels and even the formation of microangiomas. When blood pressure fluctuates too much, it can easily cause blood vessel rupture and subsequently induce problems such as cerebral hemorrhage, which has a high rate of death and disability and is a great health risk.

Low pressure is high and high pressure is not high mainly in young people. Long-term poor control of low pressure may induce renal atrophy and renal insufficiency, which can cause uremia to occur if it continues to develop.

So which is more dangerous, "high pressure" or "low pressure"?

In fact, both of these issues are independent risk factors. One study found that every 10 mmHg increase in high pressure and every 5 mmHg increase in low pressure increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by 50%, and the risk is essentially the same for both.

But high blood pressure is typically seen in older adults and induces relatively more serious and more dangerous complications.

II. What causes high low pressure and normal high pressure

The patients with hypertension that we hear about more often in life are older people, so the problem is mostly elevated high pressure, but little is known about the young people who are prone to high low pressure.

One is the elasticity of the arteries. The more elastic the blood vessels are, the more energy the heart stores during systole, which increases the pressure in the blood vessels during diastole, causing the low pressure to rise;

Two is the increase in peripheral vascular resistance, which generally occurs in people who are obese, stressed, sleep deprived, have an excess of calories in their diet, lack of exercise, etc. These factors tend to lead to plaque deposits in the blood vessels

Third, the increased heart rate, many young people are in a state of chronic stress, and these factors tend to lead to a faster heart rate, which shortens the interval between heartbeats, and the more blood is retained in the heart during diastole, so it also tends to cause an increase in low pressure.

Now that we know the cause of elevated low pressure, which means we have found out how to deal with it, how should we lower it in our daily lives?

Three, when measuring blood pressure, should I measure the left hand or the right hand?

Many people are confused about which side is better when measuring their blood pressure. Sometimes the blood pressure measured on both sides is inconsistent, so which is more accurate?

Clinically, the blood pressure of the right upper extremity prevails because the right brachial artery comes from the cephalic trunk branch, which is the larger branch of the aorta, whereas the branch artery of the left arm is smaller, so the blood pressure measured on the right side is usually higher and the blood pressure on the higher side is used as the standard measurement in clinical practice.

But there have been studies by doctors comparing measurements of the left and right upper extremities in hundreds of patients, and they found that most people had higher diastolic blood pressure in the left upper extremity than in the right upper extremity. In response, doctors think it may be related to the fact that the distance from the heart to the right brachial artery is a little farther than the left brachial artery, so that causes the right upper arm blood pressure to be lower than the left upper arm.

According to the 2018 European Society of Cardiology recommendations, it is important to measure blood pressure for the first time on both sides, with the higher side prevailing in the case of different values on both sides, as a fixed arm for future blood pressure measurements.

But when the difference in blood pressure between the left and right arm is more than 15 mmHg, it should be cause for alarm. According to a study by the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, a blood pressure of more than 15 mmHg in both arms means that there is a problem with the body's blood vessels, which can affect cardiovascular health in the long run and may lead to heart attacks and strokes.

4. If you don't know these 4 things, it may be a waste of time

Don't think it's easy to measure your blood pressure, it's actually a "technical job". The results are likely to be inaccurate if you don't do these things right!

1. Choose the right time

There are two peak blood pressure periods during the day, 6-10 am and 16-20 pm, during which blood pressure can be measured to see the peak of the day. The blood pressure is measured 2 to 6 hours after taking the medication, and the efficacy of the medication can be understood. It is recommended that the blood pressure be measured at the same time each day to see how it is changing.

2. Maintain correct posture

Sitting position is recommended for blood pressure measurement, with the middle of the upper arm cuff at the same level as the heart, preferably with the arm vertically on the table.

3. The cuff should be correctly positioned

The cuff should be of the right size, and it is recommended to keep 1 to 2 fingers tucked in after it is wrapped.

4. Don't hold your urine, get excited, or get nervous

When measuring blood pressure, you should first drain your urine and then keep your emotions stable.

High blood pressure is a health threatening condition that should be taken seriously enough to intervene even when there are no major physical symptoms at the beginning.