Blood pressure is check at two points: The high point at which
the heart contracts to empty its blood into the circulation,
called systole; and the low point at which the heart relaxes to
fill with blood returned by the circulation, called diastole.
Pressure is measured in [mm] millimeters of mercury by an
instrument “ sphygmomanometer”. consisting of an inflatable
rubber cuff connected to a pressure-detecting device with a
dial. The cuff is wrapped around the upper left arm and inflated
by squeezing a rubber bulb connected to it by a tube. Meanwhile,
the doctor making the examination listens to a stethoscope
applied to an artery in the lower arm. As the cuff expands, it
gradually compresses the artery. The point at which the cuff
stops the circulation and at which no pulsations can be heard is
read as the systolic pressure, which is more commonly read,
however, as the cuff is slowly deflated, at the point when the
circulation is restored. A spurting sound can then be heard as
the heart contraction forces blo