American Diagnostic Corporation (ADC) Advantage Ultra - Manual (Page 4)

with your blood pressure monitor is recommended. You can detect possible changes in your
values early and react appropriately. If you are undergoing medical treatment to control your
blood pressure, keep a record of values along with time of day and date. Show these values
to your doctor. Never use the results of your measurements to independently alter the drug
doses prescribed by your doctor.
3.3. What Influences Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is influenced by many factors including age, weight, physical conditioning,
past illness, time of day, altitude, activity, and climate, to name just a few. In general, blood
pressure is lower in the morning and increases throughout the day. It is lower in warm
weather, and higher in cold weather.
Physical activity can have a significant short term impact on blood pressure. Work, exercise,
smoking, eating, drinking - even talking, laughing, or crying will all affect a person's blood
pressure.
Your diet, including beverages containing caffeine or alcohol, may affect blood pressure.
Emotional stress can have a
dramatic impact on your blood
pressure.
Even repeated blood pressure
measurements taken without
adequate rest between readings
will alter your blood pressure as
the vessels in your arm engorge
with blood. Many of these
influences are only temporary or
short term, though chronic (long
term) exposure to some factors
may result in permanently elevated blood pressure levels.
3.4. Does Blood Pressure Vary?
Constantly. An individual's blood pressure varies greatly on a daily and seasonal basis. It
changes throughout one's lifetime. It is not uncommon for systolic pressure to vary by
40mmHg or more throughout the course of a single day! While generally not as volatile,
diastolic pressure can still vary significantly. In hypertensive individuals, variations are even
more pronounced. Normally, blood pressure is at its lowest during sleep and rises in the
morning and throughout the day. The chart (page 8) illustrates the fluctuations that could
occur in a typical day.
3.5. What is Hypertension?
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is elevated systolic or diastolic levels. In 90 to 95
percent of the diagnosed cases, the specific causes are unknown, although the condition is
Range Systolic Diastolic Precaution
Classifications Blood Pressure Blood Pressure Measures
Normal <120 <80 Monitor regularly
Prehypertension 120 - 139 80 - 99 Contact your physician
–– H Y P E R T E N S I O N ––
Stage 1 140 - 159 90 - 99 Contact your
(Moderate) physician Immediately
Stage 2 ≥160 ≥100 Contact your
(Severe) physician URGENTLY
(JNC-7 report: Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure / 2003)