At a community hospital in Guangzhou, Dr. Chen is reviewing an elderly male patient.
The patient, surnamed Zhou, is a 68-year-old retired engineer. He has a history of high blood pressure for many years, but his blood pressure has not been well controlled recently, sometimes high and sometimes low, which makes him quite troubled.
"I have my blood pressure measured every day, why is it still unstable?" Uncle Zhou looked puzzled.
Dr. Chan carefully inquired about his measurement method and found some clues: "Do you always measure your blood pressure at night?" And sometimes I go straight to sleep after the test?"
"Yes, I think it's more convenient to test at night, and I'm too lazy to test again in the morning." Uncle Zhou nodded. Dr. Chan patiently explains, "Actually, measuring blood pressure seems simple, but there is also a 'knowledge'.
Many patients feel that the test is the same at any time, but in fact, blood pressure levels vary depending on the time of day.
From a physiological point of view, early morning and evening are the best times to measure. In general, between 6 and 9 a.m., there is a 'spike' in blood pressure due to sympathetic nerve excitement; 9-11 p.m. is the 'trough' of the day.
The measurement of blood pressure in these two time periods can comprehensively reflect the changes in blood pressure in one day, which is more conducive to the diagnosis of hypertension and drug adjustment.
However, if it is only measured at night before going to bed and then lies down immediately, the measured blood pressure is often low and does not reflect the real situation. "
Ms. Liu, 55, has similar confusion. Ms. Liu is a secondary school teacher who is usually busy with work, often waking up early and going to bed late.
Although she also knows to monitor her blood pressure, she always does what she wants and takes it when she thinks of it. As a result, during a physical examination not long ago, her blood pressure was as high as 150/100mmHg, and she realized the seriousness of the problem.
Under Dr. Chan's guidance, she began to measure at a fixed time every morning and evening, and kept detailed records. A week later, she was pleasantly surprised to find that her blood pressure curve had become much smoother, and the effects of the medication had become more pronounced.
"In the past, I always thought that measuring blood pressure was just a 'formality', but now I understand how important regular monitoring is to blood pressure control!" Ms. Liu sighed.
"In addition to the measurement time, the method and instrument of the measurement are also critical." Dr Chan adds, "The first thing to do is to choose a validated blood pressure monitor, preferably an upper arm type.
Rest quietly for at least 5 minutes before measuring, and avoid alcohol, smoking, strenuous exercise, etc. To measure, sit with your arms relaxed and the cuff at heart level.
If the blood pressure is high for the first time, the blood pressure should be measured again after an interval of 1-2 minutes, and the average value should be taken. If the blood pressure persists above 140/90mmHg after several days of continuous monitoring, it should be taken seriously and medical attention should be sought in time. "
Mr. Huang, 42, is a typical case of "blood pressure measurement". Mr. Huang is a sales manager who travels a lot, eats and sleeps irregularly, and is stressed.
Some time ago, he found that he was always dizzy and weak, so he bought an electronic blood pressure monitor online. But he found that the blood pressure he measured fluctuated and seemed to be inaccurate.
On his recommendation, he came to Dr. Chan for consultation. Dr. Chan examined his measurement method and found that he had several "misconceptions": the quality of the instrument was not up to standard, the posture was incorrect during the measurement, and sometimes the measurement was done directly after smoking......
Under the careful guidance of Dr. Chan, Mr. Huang corrected these mistakes and learned how to "self-manage" scientifically.
After a month, his blood pressure finally stabilized and he was much more refreshed. "I really didn't expect that 'blood pressure measurement' seems simple, but there is a lot of writing behind it.
Mr. Huang sighed, "Only by mastering the scientific method can we truly understand the 'language' of blood pressure, listen to its 'warning', and better protect our health!"
Let's learn the wisdom of "blood pressure management" from the stories of Uncle Zhou, Ms. Liu, and Mr. Huang, say goodbye to blind and disorderly monitoring, and learn to take care of our cardiovascular health in a scientific way.
Perhaps, we don't need to be overly anxious about every fluctuation in blood pressure, but we should pay more attention to the long-term trend;
Perhaps, we don't need to measure every day, but we need to master the best time to measure; Perhaps, we don't need to blindly follow the various instruments on the market, but we must learn to use and interpret them correctly......
Only in this way can we walk more calmly and confidently on the road of "blood pressure management", and make our tree of life evergreen!