Flashcards
Blood pressure
Cards in this deck (34)
- 1What is systolic BP?Reflects the max pressure exerted on the arterial wall when the LV contracts (contraction phase)
- 2What is diastolic BP?The minimum arterial pressure that occurs when the LV relaxes (relaxation phase)
- 3What is the minimum amount of pressure the vessels need in order to continue to supply the brain with oxygen?60mmHg
- 4If the blood pressure drops, how does the body try and compensate for this?By reducing the blood supply from the non-vital organs (e.g. gut / limbs) and sending it to the vital organs. As a result, extremities may feel cool to touch
- 5When should you never take a BP on a person's arm?If they have:
- an injured / broken limb
- a fistula inserted (used for dialysis)
- have had a mastectomy
- cannula inserted (if possible) - 6How much further should you continue to inflate above where the pulse disappeared?10 - 20 mmHg
- 7How slow should you deflate the cuff?2 mmHg / sec
- 8When may you need to measure BP on the leg?- patient has had a bilateral mastectomy
- patient has sustained injuries to both arms - 9What piece of equipment is used to take a BP?Sphygmomanometer
- 10How does a sphygmomanometer work?The cuff is wrapped around the arm and inflated until it exceeds systolic BP. At this point, blood in the arm has ceased to flow and a brachial or radial pulse cannot be heard or felt.
- 11What is it called when a person's BP is normal?Normotensive
- 12How much blood volume needs to be lost before the systolic BP will drop below 90 mmHg?Between 30 - 40 %
- 13List some of the types of shock you may come across in a first aid situation- volume failure (hypovolemia - caused by low circulating failure, e.g. blood loss, dehydration, severe nausea / vomiting, burns)
- pump failure (cardiogenic shock - insufficient pumping of heart, e.g. heart attack, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmia)
- container failure (sudden vasodilation - the "vascular container" enlarges without proportional increase in fluid volume, e.g. fainting, anaphylaxis, septic shock, spinal cord trauma) - 14How many fingers should be able to slide underneath the cuff after it has been applied?2
- 15How do you know what size cuff to use for a patient?The width across the arm should fit in between the arrows on the cuff size indicator
- 16How far above the brachial artery should you place the cuff?2 - 3 cm, with arrows on cuff in line with brachial artery
- 17Why should the arm not be held higher than the heart when taking a BP?This may cause an incorrect / lower reading
- 18If you can't obtain an audible BP, what should you do?Palpate a reading. This procedure will give you a systolic pressure, not a diastolic pressure. Document BP e.g. 110 / --- by palpation
- 19What are the steps involved in the palpation method?- locate radial pulse
- inflate cuff to 30 mmHg above cessation of peripheral pulse
- deflate cuff slowly until pulse returns
- note pressure level (systolic pressure)
- deflate cuff - 20What are the steps involved in the auscultation method?- locate and place diaphragm over brachial pulse
- face stethoscope ear pieces forward
- inflate cuff 30 mmHg higher than previous systolic reading
- deflate cuff slowly until pulse sound begins
- a "lub-dub" sound will be heard
- note systolic pressure at this point
- deflate slowly until pulse sounds disappear
- note diastolic pressure at this point
- deflate cuff - 21What does BP reflect?- cardiac output
- peripheral vascular resistance
- blood volume
- blood viscosity
- arterial elasticity - 22What are the normal BP adult ranges for: a) Systolic b) Diastolica) 100 - 160 mmHg
b) 60 - 90 mmHg - 23What are the normal ranges for children and infants for systolic BP?Systolic BP is calculated as: 80 + (age x 2), e.g.
1 year old = 80 + (1 x 2) = 82 mmHg - 24List common factors affecting BP (hypertension)- increased cardiac output
- heightened peripheral vascular resistance
- expanded blood volume
- increased blood viscosity
- decreased arterial elasticity
- increased emotional state
- pain
- medications - 25What is high BP a sign of?That the heart and blood vessels are being overworked
- 26High BP left untreated can lead to what?Atherosclerosis and congestive heart failure
- 27What does vascular resistance refer to?The resistance that must be overcome to push blood through the circulatory system and create flow
- 28List common factors affecting BP (hypotension)- decreased cardiac output
- decreased peripheral vascular resistance
- diminished blood volume
- decreased blood viscosity
- increased arterial elasticity
- orthostatic changes
- medications - 29Define orthostaticRelating to or caused by an upright posture
- 30BP measurement reflects what 3 things?1) the ability of the arteries to stretch
2) the volume of the circulating blood
3) the amount of resistance the heart must overcome when it pumps blood - 31What is the systolic pressure?The pressure within the arterial system when the ventricles contract
- 32What is the diastolic pressure?The pressure within the arterial system when the ventricles relax and fill with blood
- 33When should you take into account which arm to take a BP reading on?For patients with a side affected by stroke, mastectomy or renal fistula
- 34Define fistulaA direct connection of an artery to a vein
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- Nursing Flashcards on Blood pressure, created by Emily Dening on 11/12/2017.
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- Emily Dening
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