Hypertension (also called high blood pressure) is a serious cardiovascular disease that affects over 73 million Americans over the age of 20. Often called one of the silent killers, hypertension often times has no noticeable symptoms and can progress to serious levels before the affected knows they have it. There are a number of ways to diagnose hypertension. Most start with a visit to the doctor's office.
Step 1
Conduct a complete health history of the patient, making note of familial history of hypertension, obesity, heart disease or diabetes. Use this information in conjunction with physical blood pressure measurements. A health history will help to qualify your blood pressure readings and often rule out transient spikes in blood pressure.
Step 2
Have the patient sit or lie down for 15 to 20 minutes before measuring their blood pressure. Blood pressures used for diagnostic purposes must be done at rest, preferably at least 30 minutes after a meal or exercising. Wrap the cuff of a sphygmomanometer around the patient's arm and place the head of a stethoscope on the brachial artery, approximately at the bend of the elbow. Inflate the cuff to over 200 mmHg and slowly release the air from the cuff. Listen for the first set of pulsating sounds. This is the systolic blood pressure. Continue releasing the air from the cuff until you hear the second set of pulsating sounds. This is the diastolic blood pressure. The systolic blood pressure should be less than 140 mmHg. The diastolic blood pressure should be less than 90 mmHg.
Step 3
Collect a urine sample from the patient. Have it analyzed for total cholesterol, high potassium levels, high blood sugar, signs of infection or kidney problems. Hypertension often follows the presence of other metabolic diseases.
Step 4
Perform an exercise stress test on the patient. Monitor the blood pressure as the patient walks at increasing workloads, up to approximately 75 percent of their maximum heart rate. Normal blood pressures should mimic increases in workload. The systolic blood pressure will often fail to increase in hypertension during exercise.
Step 5
Conduct a resting electrocardiogram (EKG) on the patient. Abnormalities in resting EKGs are often precursors of hypertension.
Tips and Warnings
- Have the patient rest before taking a resting blood pressure. Secure the cuff tightly around the patient's arm before measuring their blood pressure. Take note of familial history of hypertension, diabetes, obesity or heart disease.
- Do not stop deflating the cuff during measurement. Avoid under inflating the blood pressure cuff during measurement.
Things You'll Need
- Sphymomanometer
- Stethescope
- Complete Blood Count test
- Exercise stress test
- Electrocardiogram
