Blood Pressure

1
Blood Pressure
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What is blood pressure?

• Arterial blood pressure force exerted by blood
  on an area of the blood vessel wall
• Systolic pressure or force during contraction
• Diastolic pressure or force during relaxation
• Pulse Pressure difference between SBP and DBP

3
Equipment Used

• Mercury Manometer
• Anaeroid Manometer
• Automated Digital Manometer
• Doppler Ultrasound
• Catheter

4
BP Assessment Procedures

• See pg. 43 ACSM

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Potential Sources of Error

• Inaccurate sphygmomanometer
• Improper cuff size
• Auditory acuity of technician
• Rate of inflation/deflation
• Technician experience
• Technician reaction time
• Improper stethoscope placement or pressure
• Background noise

6
Potential Sources of Error, cont.

• Allowing patient to hold treadmill handles
• Physiologic abnormalities (stiff brachial artery,
  etc.)

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BP Classifications

• Page 44 ACSM

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Contraindications to Exercise Testing

• P. 49-50 ACSM
• Resting SBP gt 200 mm Hg or DBP gt 110 mm Hg

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Normal Responses

• SBP should increase linearly with exercise
  intensity
• DBP should not change or may drop slightly

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Test Termination Criteria

• Indications for Terminating a Test (p. 106 ACSM)
• SBP gt 260 mm Hg
• DBP gt 115 mm Hg
• In low-risk adults, SBP drops by 20 mm Hg or more
  or fails to rise with exercise intensity
• In moderate to high-risk patients, if SBP drops
  10 mm Hg or more, or fails to rise

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BP Assignment

• To measure seated, standing and supine resting
  blood pressures on all class members
• To measure bike and treadmill exercise blood
  pressures on all class members