How to take blood pressure on wrist?
Part 2
What To Do If You Can't Find Your PulseTry using your fingertips instead of laying your fingers across your wrist. Place them in different places and stop in each location for five seconds.
Try varying the pressure of your fingertips on your wrist. Sometimes lightening your touch or pressing harder will help you find your pulse.
Try pointing your arm pointing towards the floor. Do this if you have been holding it up to your face. The change in blood flow may help you find your pulse.
If you have a stethoscope, you can use it here. Make sure you lift up or remove your shirt, hold the stethoscope against your bare chest, and listen. Count each beat as you hear it, and listen for any skipped beats.
Part 3
Finding Your Maximum And Target Heart Rates-
Find your potential maximum heart rate. This is the highest your pulse rate can get. You will use your potential maximum heart rate to determine your target heart rate. To find yours, follow this formula: 220-(your age)=(predicted maximum heart rate)
Try exercising intensely for 30 minutes and then checking your heart rate immediately after (or even during) your exercise. Compare your real maximum heart rate to your potential maximum heart rate. The numbers should be relatively similar.
Find your target heart rate. This is 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. The reason there is a range rather than a solid number is because everyone has a different fitness level. While you exercise, check your pulse for 15 seconds. The number should be 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Reader Questions and Answers
Answered Questions
Add New QuestionWhy do I need to hold my arm pointed toward the floor to determine my pulse rate?
Having your arm pointed toward or parallel to the floor enables the blood to flow properly. If your arm is pointed up at all, circulation will be affected and the heart rate measurement will be inaccurate.Does taking my pulse rate also give me a blood pressure reading?
Yes and no. It will help you guess at the "upper" number of your blood pressure, but the "bottom" number is impossible to measure without equipment. When taking your pulse, note how it feels. If you can feel a pulse, your pressure is at least 80. The weaker it feels, the closer to 80 and the stronger, the higher.Why do I have to multiply by four?
The best way to measure is counting the beats for one whole minute. If you do not have a stop watch, you can count the beats for 15 seconds, and then multiply by four because there are 60 seconds in a minute and 15 is 1/4 of 60. Heart rates are measured in beats per minute, so the total needs to be equivalent to what it would be for a whole minute.Tips
To measure your relaxed heart rate, try lying down on the floor for one minute before taking your pulse. Smartphone apps are now available that will take your pulse for you. Install a pulse app, then measure your pulse following its instructions (usually by holding a finger steady over the camera lens). You can also take your pulse at your temple or chest, but these methods are far less common.Warnings
If you notice skipped beats while doing this procedure, seek medical attention. If you can obviously tell that your heartbeat is irregular as well as very fast, follow up with medical attention. Do not palpate both carotid arteries on your neck simultaneously as it will decrease the blood circulation to the brain. Do not press too hard on your neck, as it can stimulate a reflex mechanism that can slow down the heart. If there are any irregularities in your pulse, seek medical advice as soon as possible.RELATED VIDEO
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