7.9: Activity 8

Instructions

1. Work in pairs. Those who are to have their blood pressure measured should be seated with their sleeves rolled up.
2. Have the subject sit with their right or left arm resting on a table at the level of their heart.
3. Make sure the cuff is deflated. If there is remaining air in the cuff, open the screw valve of the pump and press the bag to release the air.
4. Palpate where the brachial artery is in the cubital fossa and wrap the cuff of the sphygmomanometer around the arm with the cuff arrow pointing at the artery.
5. Place the bell of the stethoscope under the cuff above the brachial artery.
6. Gently close the screw valve and pump the pressure in the cuff up to 160-180 mmHg.
7. Open the screw valve to allow the pressure in the cuff to drop slowly, at a rate of about 2 or 3 mmHg per second.
8. Listen for the first and last sound. Record the systolic pressure and diastolic pressure in the Results section.
9. Wait a few minutes and make sure the cuff is fully deflated. Then, take the measurements with the subject in a standing position (arms down).

Follow the steps above to measure the resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

1. Record the values of Resting Systolic Pressure, use average of 3 trials.
2. Record the values of Resting Diastolic Pressure, use average of 3 trials.

For an adult, the systolic blood pressure should be less than 120 mmHg and the diastolic blood pressure should be less than 80 mmHg. This range is considered “normal.”