Blood pressure diagnosis

The physician generates the diagnosis from your medical history and prepares a physical examination. The doctor, nurse, or other medical assistant will place an inflated cuff on your arm and measure your blood pressure with the cuff.

Blood pressure is usually measured with both hands to see if there is a difference. It is important to use the correct size cuff.

Blood pressure metrics are divided and obtained in several categories.

Normal blood pressure. Blood pressure is considered normal if it is less than 120/80 mmHg.

Elevated hypertension. Elevated hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 120-129 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mmHg (maximum). Hypertension tends to worsen over time if measures are not taken to control blood pressure. Hypertension is also sometimes called high blood pressure.

Stage I hypertension. Stage I hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 130-139 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure of 80-89 mmHg.

Stage II hypertension. Stage II hypertension is the most severe form of hypertension and is defined as a systolic blood pressure at or above 140 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure at or above 90 mmHg.

Hypertensive crisis: a blood pressure above 180/120 mmHg is an emergency and requires urgent medical attention. If you get this result while taking blood pressure medication at home, wait a few minutes before retesting. If your blood pressure remains high, contact your doctor immediately. Also call 911 or your local emergency number if you have chest pain, vision problems, numbness or weakness, shortness of breath or any other signs or symptoms of an accident, stroke or heart attack.

Both figures are very important to measure blood pressure. However, after the age of 50 years, the measurement of systolic blood pressure becomes more important. Isolated systolic hypertension is a condition in which the diastolic blood pressure is normal (below 80 mmHg) but the systolic blood pressure is high (above 130 mmHg). Hypertension is most common in people aged 65 years and older.

Because hypertension often fluctuates during the day and may be elevated at the time of the visit (white coat hypertension), the physician may measure blood pressure several times at three or more separate visits before diagnosing hypertension.

Measuring blood pressure at home

Your doctor may ask you to record your blood pressure at home to get more information and establish whether you have high blood pressure.

Taking your blood pressure at home is an important way to find out if you have high blood pressure, to check if your blood pressure treatment is working, and to diagnose worsening hypertension.

Home blood pressure monitors are readily available, inexpensive and can be purchased without a prescription. A home blood pressure meter is not a substitute for a doctor's visit and there may be limitations to home blood pressure monitors.

Be sure to use a device that has been tested and has a good grip on the handle. Take the monitor to your doctor once a year to correct its accuracy. Ask your doctor how to start taking your blood pressure at home.

The American Heart Association does not recommend the use of wrist or finger blood pressure monitors, as the results can be unreliable.

Testing.

If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend tests to confirm the diagnosis and check for underlying conditions that can cause high blood pressure.

Ambulatory monitoring. This 24-hour blood pressure measurement is done to confirm that you have hypertension. The equipment used for this test measures blood pressure at regular intervals over a 24-hour period, which provides a more accurate picture of blood pressure changes during a normal day and night. However, they are not installed in all healthcare facilities and cannot be replaced.

Laboratory tests. Doctors may recommend blood tests such as urinalysis and cholesterol tests.

Electrocardiogram (ECG). This is a quick and painless test that measures the electrical activity of the heart.

Echo cardiogram. Depending on your signs and symptoms and test results, your doctor may order an echo cardiogram to look for other signs of heart disease. The echo cardiogram uses sound waves to take pictures of the heart.