Blood pressure test

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

A blood pressure test measures the pressure in your arteries as your heart pumps. You might have a blood pressure test as a part of routine doctor's appointment or as a screening for high blood pressure (hypertension). Many people, such as those with high blood pressure, do their own blood pressure tests at home so that they can better track their health.

You may have frequent blood pressure tests if you've been diagnosed with prehypertension, high blood pressure (hypertension) or low blood pressure (hypotension).

Why it's done
References
  1. Kaplan NM, et al. Overview of hypertension in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/ index. Accessed April 10, 2012.
  2. How high blood pressure is diagnosed. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/SymptomsDiagnosisMonitoringofHighBloodPressure/How-High-Blood-Pressure-isDiagnosed_UCM_301873_Article.jsp#.T4cd99Uktjs. Accessed April 10, 2012.
  3. Ogedegbe G, et al. Principles and techniques of blood pressure measurement. Cardiology Clinics. 2012;20:571.
  4. Kaplan NM, et al. Diet in the treatment and prevention of hypertension. http://www.uptodate.com/ index. Accessed April 10, 2012.
  5. Low blood pressure. American Heart Institute. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/AboutHighBloodPressure/Low-Blood-Pressure_UCM_301785_Article.jsp#.T4ckctUktjs. Accessed April 10, 2012.
  6. Screening for high blood pressure. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf07/hbp/hbprs.htm. Accessed April 10, 2012.
  7. How is high blood pressure diagnosed. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp/diagnosis.html. Accessed April 10, 2012.
  8. Lowering your blood pressure with DASH. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf. Accessed April 10, 2012.
  9. Sheps SG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 13, 2012.
MY01180 June 8, 2012

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