What is the easiest method to learning BP?

[Chall09]

I just started EMT class yesterday. I've always never really understood the pressure system when it comes to taking blood pressure. All I know is systolic (when the blood is coming into heart, right?) and dystolic (when the heart is relaxing-???).

Plus 120 over 80 is normal. No idea what the numbers mean.

Can someone give me a quick easy method to understanding BP???

Thanks!

 

[kecpercussion]

You systolic and diastolic wrong.

Systolic is the pressure on the artery walls when the heart contracts and diastolic is the pressure when the heart relaxes

 

[ki4mus]

hopefully you will learn by the time they let you start doing ride-alongs...the best way is to sit down with another EMT or medic and have them show you. You might get more out of 1-on-1 learning than in your class

 

[kecpercussion]

A good trick is add the persons age to 100 and that should be about where their systolic SHOULD be.

Pts age + 100 = Healthy Systolic

But this is not science so ALWAYS CHECK!

 

[rescue99]

I just started EMT class yesterday. I've always never really understood the pressure system when it comes to taking blood pressure. All I know is systolic (when the blood is coming into heart, right?) and dystolic (when the heart is relaxing-???).

Plus 120 over 80 is normal. No idea what the numbers mean.

Can someone give me a quick easy method to understanding BP???

Thanks!

Ummm..where's the instuctor and proctors in all this learning stuff?

 

[ki4mus]

oh yeah, and this is justmy personal opinion......I NEVER trust NIBP (non-invasive blood presure) machines....always take at lest one manual BP and a manual pulse..... I say this becouse I know plenty of people that belive they are the best thing since sliced bread......

 

[medicdan]

Hopefully, if your basic instructor is worth their merit, they will teach it, just wait a week or two. Once you learn WHAT a blood pressure is, learn HOW to take one. The easiest way is pracice-- borrow a cuff and scope, and between classes, take 15-20 full sets of vitals (BP, Pulse, Resps, Skin, Lung Sounds). Then take another 20 sets. If you get an abnormally high result, ask your "patient", learn something about what they have going on. Listen to the lung sounds of a friend with asthma. Do you have a grandparent with CHF? COPD? What do they sound like? Can you identify the sounds?

 

[Jon]

A good trick is add the persons age to 100 and that should be about where their systolic SHOULD be.

Pts age + 100 = Healthy Systolic

But this is not science so ALWAYS CHECK!

Oh really?
What if you patient is 70? 170mmhg for a Systolic?

Can you cite a source?

 

[Scout]

120/80 is a measure ment of pressure

When the heart pulses it has the ability to raise a collom of mercury 120mm. Its just a way to measure strength. All should be revealed, if you do a search Rid Ryder had posted a decent poster on the hows of taking a bP.

 

[Shishkabob]

A good trick is add the persons age to 100 and that should be about where their systolic SHOULD be.

Pts age + 100 = Healthy Systolic

But this is not science so ALWAYS CHECK!

So a 1 year-olds BP should be 101 and a 80 year-olds BP should be 180? No. Not at all.

 

[Thindian]

A good trick is add the persons age to 100 and that should be about where their systolic SHOULD be.

Pts age + 100 = Healthy Systolic

But this is not science so ALWAYS CHECK!

Great, now you're going to have a bunch of ride-alongs who don't know how to take BP guessing.

Maam how old are you?

59 DEAR

BP IS 159 OVER... 89!

 

[rescue99]

So a 1 year-olds BP should be 101 and a 80 year-olds BP should be 180? No. Not at all.

Welll...this is an old school way of teaching what ranges might be for an adult.....like 10-15 years ago. Albiet it isn't something we really teach much today, there probably are some instructors who still use a few old rules.

 

[medic_texas]

A good trick is add the persons age to 100 and that should be about where their systolic SHOULD be.

Pts age + 100 = Healthy Systolic

But this is not science so ALWAYS CHECK!

Seriously? Horrible advice

 

[Bloom-IUEMT]

YouTube can be a good teacher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYcSrcLVJHI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znRtoDXH42Y

http://www.highbloodpressureinfo.org/blood-pressure-reading-chart.html

 

[NEMed2]

If you just started class then I wouldn't worry so much about this right now, you're instructor will go over it, you will practice on your friends until they are sick of you and you will become proficient at it until you're first priority call in the back of an old ambulance down a bumpy road with a pt screaming at you. And then you will become proficient at that as well. That's why no one is tossed in the back of an ambulance without any training. If you have questions once you've learned it in class, always ask questions, both there & here.

 

[ACEMT]

Systolic= top number/ represents pressure when the left ventricle is contracting and pumping blood to the body

Diastolic= bottom number/ represents the pressure when the left ventricle is realxing and refilling with blood to be sent to the body upon next contraction

To find BP: place cuff above elbow covering brachial artery located on the anterior (front) side of arm. Place stethoscope on brachial artery just below or slightly under the cuff. Inflate the cuff to about 200 or until you lose the ability to hear pulse. Slowly deflate.

When you start to hear a pulse, and the guage starts to tick thats your systolic. When you lose the pulse that is your Diastolic.

 

[ACEMT]

Great, now you're going to have a bunch of ride-alongs who don't know how to take BP guessing.

Definetely doesn't quite work, a closer to accurate formula like that used would be 70 +2x age, can be used for systolic in children.

 

[ACEMT]

A good trick is add the persons age to 100 and that should be about where their systolic SHOULD be.

Pts age + 100 = Healthy Systolic

But this is not science so ALWAYS CHECK!

This was the quote i meant, figuring out how to use this thing!!

 

[EMTecBOB]

I was taught that "normal" BP for an adult is 100 plus age...up to 40. Diastolic is "normal" between 60 to 80.

 

[Level1pedstech]

When I took my basic class we were taught that method by one of the two instructors but it was 100 for a male and 90 for a female. I do believe its an old school thing, this was a medic with twenty years of good inner city street time. He was quick to point out that all patients are different and you really have to look at all the information you have available. I would feel more comfortable with a new basic using 120/80 as a point of reference but in the real world there is no "normal" pressure. Quick example of how the above theory is flawed, I am 47 if my systolic rises above 140 the DOT can refuse to issue me a two year medical card for work.

On taking at least one manual pressure before using any automatic equipment I have to really question the benefit. I'm sure someone has some thoughts on the subject but to me it sounds like the instruction the OP was given on how to figure a patients "normal" pressure. Maybe a little old school but any further information will be considered and appreciated We use auto equipment throughout the hospital and I rarely ever see manual pressures taken. Does this mean its okay,no but if its good enough for the many professionals that use the method I think I can say with 99% certainty that we can trust the automatic equipment. Of course one must keep the big picture in mind and remember we treat patients not numbers but just reading how some folks are being taught makes me feel like it until they get some experience I would prefer an auto pressure if a patients BP is going to be playing a huge part in their treatment. I know most basics don't have access to auto equipment and they need to master the skill of obtaining manual pressures. I will be the first to point out that I have become very reliant on our monitors and robo nurses in the ER. I rarely work in the field anymore and I could stand to take a few manuals once in a while.