How do I Read Digital Blood Pressure?

A digital blood pressure monitor allows the user to easily measure an individual's blood pressure. Digital blood pressure monitors typically give three readings. The first is the systolic pressure, which is the pressure of the heart during contraction. The second is the diastolic pressure which is the pressure of the heart at rest. The final value is the pulse which denotes the number of heart beats per minute. Systolic and diastolic readings are shown together with systolic readings always higher in value.

Things You'll Need

• Digital blood pressure monitor

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Instructions

How to read digital blood pressure

• 1

  Attached the cuff around the bare skin of the subject's upper arm. Place the forearm at the level of the heart in order to get the most precise reading and offset inaccuracies due to the differences between atmospheric and blood pressure.

• 2

  Press the "Start" button and wait for the cuff to inflate and deflate. The blood pressure readings will be displayed. Repeat on the opposite arm. Take both readings and calculate the average by adding them together and dividing by two.

• 3

  Interpret the readings. Systolic and diastolic readings will be presented next to each other respectively. Normal readings are close to 120/80. Readings which are 20 units below this level indicate hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure) and 20 units above this indicate hypertension (high blood pressure.) Pulse readings will have a heart symbol next to it.