Few people are aware of this, but monitoring blood pressure is essential to prevent cardiovascular diseases, the main causes of mortality in France.

Regularly measuring blood pressure can detect high blood pressure, the most common cardiovascular disease, and can be fatal.

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Why is blood pressure calculated?

Blood pressure is used to measure the pressure exerted by the blood, supplied by the heart, against the walls of the arteries, as well as the amount of blood pumped by the heart. The role of the arteries is to lead blood from the heart to the tissues of the body and thus ensure the supply of oxygen essential for the survival of the cells.

This is called blood pressure, that is, the force that allows blood to flow through all organs. The role of the arteries is therefore vital. These must remain flexible and not clogged to best fulfill their function. Abnormal blood pressure may indicate a situation of hypertension (high blood pressure) or hypotension (low blood pressure).

How to interpret the measurement of blood pressure?

Blood pressure is measured using a blood pressure monitor consisting of a cuff with an inflatable sleeve and a pressure gauge that measures blood pressure. Using a stethoscope placed on the artery downstream of the cuff, the doctor calculates blood pressure. Blood pressure is measured using two digits, indicated in centimeters of mercury (cm Hg) or millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The highest figure measures systolic blood pressure, that is, the pressure on the arteries related to the contraction of the heart. The second digit, the lowest, measures the flow of blood during the relaxation phase that follows the pressure on the arteries and during which the heart relaxes and fills. The pressure on the arteries is then less strong. It is called diastolic blood pressure.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that a person suffers from hypertension when his systolic blood pressure is above 14 or when his diastolic blood pressure is above 9. However, a single measurement of blood pressure is not enough to conclude hypertension. Indeed, tension is very sensitive to external elements such as stress or effort for example. A serious diagnosis of hypertension therefore requires several measurements of blood pressure at rest.