Oregon Scientific BPU321OS Mode D'emploi page 14

USEFUL REFERENCE
aBOUT BLOOD PRESSURE
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force generated by the blood
against the walls of arteries during cardiac contraction
and relaxation (e.g., the pumping action of the heart).
What are systolic pressure and diastolic pressure? When
ventricles contract and pump blood out of the heart,
blood pressure reaches its maximum value. This highest
pressure in the cycle is known as systolic pressure. When
the heart relaxes between heartbeats, the lowest blood
pressure is diastolic pressure.
Why measure your blood pressure?
Blood pressure measurement can highly reflect one's
health condition. High blood pressure is potentially linked
to serious illnesses such as stroke, heart disease and
kidney failure. Since there is no symptom most of the
time, many hypertensive people do not realize they are
at risk until their health is seriously threatened.
What is the standard blood pressure classification?
The figure illustrates the blood pressure classification
made by World Health Organization (WHO) and
International Society of Hypertension (ISH) in 1999.
BPU321OS_UM_EN_R20.indd 14
Grade 3 hypertension(severe)
110
Grade 2 hypertension(moderate)
100
Grade 1 hypertension(mild)
95
Subgroup:borderline
90
High-normal Blood Pressure
85
Normal Blood Pressure
80
Optimal Blood
Pressure
120
Systolic Blood Pressure(mmHg)
Reference material: 1999 World Health Organization -
International Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the
management of hypertension, Journal of Hypertension,
1999, 17(2): 151-183. This is used as the basis for
the coloured hypertension indication bar to the right
of the screen.
NOTE
• Blood pressure is considered high when either the
diastolic or systolic blood pressure value exceeds the
normal range. When a patient's systolic and diastolic
blood pressures fall into different categories, the higher
category should apply.
• Only a physician can tell you your normal blood
pressure range and the point at which you are at risk.
Consult your physician to obtain these values. If the
measurements taken with these products fall outside
the range, consult your physician. Why does my blood
pressure fluctuate throughout the day? Individual blood
pressure varies greatly both on a daily and a seasonal
14
130 140 150 160 180
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