Why is essential that vital signs are measured accurately

High blood pressure directly increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. With high blood pressure, the arteries may have an increased resistance against the flow of blood. This causes the heart to work harder to circulate the blood. Blood pressure is categorized as normal, elevated, or stage 1 or stage 2 high blood pressure:.

Elevated blood pressure is systolic of to and diastolic less than Stage 1 high blood pressure is systolic is to or diastolic between 80 to Stage 2 high blood pressure is when systolic is or higher or the diastolic is 90 or higher.

These numbers should be used as a guide only. A single blood pressure measurement that is higher than normal does not necessarily mean there is a problem. Your healthcare provider will want to see multiple blood pressure measurements over several days or weeks before making a diagnosis of high blood pressure and starting treatment.

Ask your provider when to contact him or her if your blood pressure readings are not within normal range. For people with high blood pressure, home monitoring allows your healthcare provider to monitor how much your blood pressure changes during the day, and from day to day. This may also help your provider determine how effectively your blood pressure medicine is working. You can use either an aneroid monitor, which has a dial gauge and is read by looking at a pointer. Or you can use a digital monitor, in which the blood pressure reading flashes on a small screen.

Whichever device you use, make sure the cuff fits your arm. Having a cuff that is too large or too small can lead to inaccurate readings. Don't take your blood pressure on an arm or leg that has been severely injured, has had surgery on the blood vessels, or has injury to the tissue. The American Heart Association recommends the following guidelines for home blood pressure monitoring:.

Don't smoke, have caffeinated drinks, or exercise for 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure. Sit with your back supported don't sit on a couch or soft chair. Keep your feet on the floor uncrossed. Place your arm on a solid flat surface like a table with the upper part of the arm at heart level. Place the middle of the cuff directly above the bend of the elbow.

Check the monitor's instruction manual for an illustration. Take multiple readings. When you measure, take 2 to 3 readings one minute apart and record all the results.

Take your blood pressure at the same time every day, or as your healthcare provider recommends. Take the record with you to your next medical appointment. If your blood pressure monitor has a built-in memory, simply take the monitor with you to your next appointment.

Call your provider if you have several high readings. Don't be frightened by a single high blood pressure reading, but if you get several high readings, check in with your healthcare provider. If your blood pressure reaches a systolic top number of or higher OR diastolic bottom number of or higher, seek emergency medical treatment. Ask your healthcare provider to teach you how to use your blood pressure monitor correctly.

Have the monitor routinely checked for accuracy by taking it with you to your healthcare provider's office. It's also important to make sure the tubing is not twisted when you store it and keep it away from heat to prevent cracks and leaks. The aneroid monitor is less expensive than the digital monitor. The cuff is inflated by hand by squeezing a rubber bulb. Some units even have a special feature to make it easier to put the cuff on with one hand.

However, the unit can be easily damaged and become less accurate. Because the person using it must listen for heartbeats with the stethoscope, it may not be appropriate for the hearing-impaired.

The digital monitor is automatic, with the measurements appearing on a small screen. Because the recordings are easy to read, this is the most popular blood pressure measuring device. It is also easier to use than the aneroid unit, and since there is no need to listen to heartbeats through the stethoscope, this is a good device for hearing-impaired patients.

One disadvantage is that body movements or an irregular heart rate can change the accuracy. These units are also more expensive than the aneroid monitors. In addition, they are more expensive than the other monitors. It is also important, when taking blood pressure readings, that you record the date and time of day you are taking the reading, as well as the systolic and diastolic measurements.

This will be important information for your doctor to have. Ask your doctor or another health care professional to teach you how to use your blood pressure monitor correctly. Have the monitor routinely checked for accuracy by taking it with you to your doctor's office. It is also important to make sure the tubing is not twisted when you store it and keep it away from heat to prevent cracks and leaks.

Proper use of your blood pressure monitor will help you and your doctor in monitoring your blood pressure. Find a Doctor Find a Doctor. What are vital signs?

The four main vital signs routinely monitored by medical professionals and health care providers include the following: Body temperature Pulse rate Respiration rate rate of breathing Blood pressure Blood pressure is not considered a vital sign, but is often measured along with the vital signs. What is body temperature? A person's body temperature can be taken in any of the following ways: Orally.

Temperature can be taken by mouth using either the classic glass thermometer, or the more modern digital thermometers that use an electronic probe to measure body temperature. Temperatures taken rectally using a glass or digital thermometer tend to be 0. Temperatures can be taken under the arm using a glass or digital thermometer.

Temperatures taken by this route tend to be 0. By ear. A special thermometer can quickly measure the temperature of the ear drum, which reflects the body's core temperature the temperature of the internal organs.

By skin. A special thermometer can quickly measure the temperature of the skin on the forehead. About glass thermometers containing mercury According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mercury is a toxic substance that poses a threat to the health of humans, as well as to the environment.

What is the pulse rate? Taking a pulse not only measures the heart rate, but also can indicate the following: Heart rhythm Strength of the pulse The normal pulse for healthy adults ranges from 60 to beats per minute. How to check your pulse As the heart forces blood through the arteries, you feel the beats by firmly pressing on the arteries, which are located close to the surface of the skin at certain points of the body. Vital signs monitoring devices allow you to track your heart rate and determine the average heart rate for your body.

Fluctuations in heart rate are due to:. Recognizing when your heart rate is high and taking measures to keep it at a healthy level reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and other medical problems.

Your respiration rate is the number of times you breathe in one minute. Normal respiration rates for adults range from 12 to 20 breaths a minute. Monitoring respiration rates can detect early signs of a respiratory illness or allergy. Respiration levels also increase due to an infection. Tracking your respiration levels can help you detect an illness before it infects the rest of your body. Your height and weight are the best physical ways to evaluate your overall health.

Height fluctuations signal bone loss and increase your risk of developing osteoporosis as you age. Weight increases or decreases indicate a wide range of problems, from an underlying medical problem like thyroid disease to poor lifestyle habits.

Knowing the normal height and weight for your age and gender can help you make healthy changes and enhance your overall wellbeing. But many medical ailments have overlapping or similar symptoms. Therefore, we rely on vital signs to give medical experts a better insight into what the problem is.

Tracking your vital signs provides medical professionals with concrete information that they use to assess your health and form a correct diagnosis. Without vital signs, misdiagnosis can occur and lead to incorrect treatment. Silent symptoms of diseases cause medical problems to go undetected for years, making them harder to treat.

When there are fluctuations, you can take action immediately. Early action leads to more successful treatments. Keeping an eye on your vital signs can be the push you need to establish a healthier life. But when you track your vitals, those numbers can motivate you to make healthy lifestyle changes to keep your vital signs in-check.

Vital signs can signal too much caffeine consumption, high stress, and dehydration. After you acknowledge these problems, you can fix them by replacing bad habits like drinking four cups of coffee with healthy alternatives like substituting coffee with herbal tea.

Vital signs monitoring is crucial for living a long and healthy life. Vitals gives us a glimpse into our overall wellbeing. They signal early signs of an infection, prevent a misdiagnosis, detect symptom-less medical problems, and encourage us to make better choices.