Lab Report: Blood Pressure
Variables Affecting Human Arterial Pressure and Pulse Rate
BIOL-204
Introduction:
The woozy feeling when standing up too quickly. After going for a run, feeling as if one more beat and the heart would project itself out of the chest. Or quite the opposite and being in a very relaxed state. These are all changes one experiences at some time or another. What causes the different feelings and how each variable affects pulse rate and blood pressure has many wondering. Because of this curiosity, an experiment was performed to get some answers. The purpose of the experiment is to see how different variables affect pulse rate and blood pressure. Before starting the experiment, self educating on background information was a necessity in order to obtain a full understanding of what exactly was going to be performed. What is blood pressure and how does it work? “As the heart beats, the heart pushes blood through a network of blood vessels called arteries. As the blood travels through the arteries, it pushes against the sides of these blood vessels and the strength of this pushing is called blood pressure.” (Blood Pressure UK) After getting the basic definition of what blood pressure is, it was learned that when blood pressure is taken the first number that is said is the systolic blood pressure level or the highest level that is reached when the heart is squeezing. The second number that is read is the diastolic pressure level or the lowest level when the heart is relaxing, which is measured in mm Hg. (Blood Pressure UK) Moving on to pulse rate, also known as heart rate. It is known that pulse rate is the number of times the heart beats in one minute. (Gordon) Pulse is lower at rest and increases when higher activity is performed, like exercise. (Gordon) Pulse is taken by putting the tips of the index finger and middle finger onto the palm side of the opposite wrist below the base of the thumb. (Gordon) By pressing
BIOL-204
Introduction:
The woozy feeling when standing up too quickly. After going for a run, feeling as if one more beat and the heart would project itself out of the chest. Or quite the opposite and being in a very relaxed state. These are all changes one experiences at some time or another. What causes the different feelings and how each variable affects pulse rate and blood pressure has many wondering. Because of this curiosity, an experiment was performed to get some answers. The purpose of the experiment is to see how different variables affect pulse rate and blood pressure. Before starting the experiment, self educating on background information was a necessity in order to obtain a full understanding of what exactly was going to be performed. What is blood pressure and how does it work? “As the heart beats, the heart pushes blood through a network of blood vessels called arteries. As the blood travels through the arteries, it pushes against the sides of these blood vessels and the strength of this pushing is called blood pressure.” (Blood Pressure UK) After getting the basic definition of what blood pressure is, it was learned that when blood pressure is taken the first number that is said is the systolic blood pressure level or the highest level that is reached when the heart is squeezing. The second number that is read is the diastolic pressure level or the lowest level when the heart is relaxing, which is measured in mm Hg. (Blood Pressure UK) Moving on to pulse rate, also known as heart rate. It is known that pulse rate is the number of times the heart beats in one minute. (Gordon) Pulse is lower at rest and increases when higher activity is performed, like exercise. (Gordon) Pulse is taken by putting the tips of the index finger and middle finger onto the palm side of the opposite wrist below the base of the thumb. (Gordon) By pressing
References: Blood Pressure UK: (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/microsites/u40/Home/facts/Bloodpressure Gordon: Gordon, B. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/exercise/pulsethr.aspx