Blood Pressure

Mia Beck
11/01/21
Lab Section # Monday 11:30
Introduction:

The topic of this lab is to focus on concepts associated with arterial blood pressure and
how to measure it. Arterial blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within an arterial vessel,
typically the brachial artery in the upper arm.

It is important for the general public to be knowledgeable about blood pressure and its
effects on human health to determine whether it is in a healthy zone or not. Being knowledgeable
about this topic can help future physical educators provide their students with meaningful
content to fulfill a healthy lifestyle for a lifetime. If they are educated about the potential dangers
of having high blood pressure, this may influence them to want to make changes within their
lifestyle.

Purpose, Background:

The purpose of this lab is to get students familiar with the techniques and concepts
associated with determining arterial blood pressure levels. This lab provides students with an
opportunity to notice trends such that as activity level increases, so does blood pressure.

This lab relates to the concept talked about in class of the cardiovascular system as a
whole. For example, the heart extracts 70-80% of its O2 needs from coronary vessels at rest and
an increase of heart rate/ arteries contracting is due to the body compensating for increased
exercise. These concepts relate because the heart is constantly working to compensate for
actions demonstrated by the body of those at all activity levels.

Systolic pressure- The top number refers to the amount of pressure in your arteries during the
contraction of your heart muscle. This is called systolic pressure.
https://www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/blood-pressure-reading-exp
lained
Diastolic pressure- The bottom number refers to your blood pressure when your heart muscle is
between beats. This is called diastolic pressure.
https://www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/blood-pressure-reading-exp
lained

Pulse pressure- this number represents the difference between the systolic and diastolic
pressures.

Prehypertension- This term relates to the phase represented by the new elevated blood pressure.
These values are between the resting systolic blood pressure being between 120-129 mmHg and
diastolic blood pressure <80 mmHg.

Mean Arterial pressure: The MAP is represented by the average pressure that the arteries are
subjected to. This is measured by Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)= diastolic pressure + 1/3 (pulse
pressure).

Hypothesis:

Isometric exercises will increase the heart rate and the systolic blood pressure. This is
because these exercises increase heart rate and they cause the arteries to contract and increase
pressure.

This lab is going to give an insight about how to take blood pressure and give students
the opportunity to analyze differing blood pressure levels as multiple conditions arise. It will be a
good basis for future phys ed classes to teach their students about how different activity levels
affect blood pressure, heart health and how they can check their own blood pressure.

Materials:

● Stethoscope
● Sphygmomanometer
● Phone timer
● Isometric deadlift machine

Procedure:
 ● Students must work in groups to practice techniques for measuring blood pressure.
Switch partners to obtain more practice
● Table 1: For a member of your group, record blood pressures (systolic and diastolic) and
heart rate. Be sure to have the subject rest and wait 2 minutes in each position before
taking pressure and HR readings

**How to take blood pressure properly according to ACSM:

● Subject must be seated for at least 2 minutes with the elbow slightly flexed. It is expected
that the subject has not injected food or drugs that alter heart function (e.g. caffeine,
nicotine or alcohol). The subject should wait one hour post exercise to achieve an
accurate resting blood pressure measurement.
● Wrap the cuff around the upper arm, about 1 inch above the antecubital space, and
support the arm at the level of the heart; align the cuff with the brachial artery.
● Place the stethoscope bell below the antecubital space over the brachial artery.
● Quickly inflate the cuff pressure to about 20mmHg above the estimated systolic blood
pressure.
● Slowly release the pressure at a rate equal to 2-3mmHg/sec. Note the first Korotkoff
sound.
● Continue releasing the pressure, noting when the sound becomes muffled (4th phase
diastolic BP) and when the sound disappears (5th phase diastolic BP). The 5th Korotkoff
sound is the measurement used for the diastolic BP.
● Table 2: Choose one member from each group to perform all conditions. Record their
gender. Then record blood pressure and heart rate for each of the 6 conditions. Finally,
calculate Pulse Pressure and Mean Arterial Pressure for each condition and record in your
table.
1. Obtain resting (supine) HR and BP (rest for 3 min)
2. Obtain HR and BP dynamic large muscle mass exercise (3 min) *Standing Squats
3. Sitting (3 min)
4. HR and BP during dynamic small muscle mass exercise (3 min) *Arm Circles
5. Sitting (3 min)
6. HR and BP during isometric exercise (1 min) Isometric deadlift for 1 min

Data Table and Graphs:

Body Systolic Diastolic HR (bpm)

Position: (mmHg) (mmHg)
Laying 115 mmHg 60 mmHg 78 bpm

Sitting 115 mmHg 65 mmHg 82 bpm

Standing 120 mmHg 80 mmHg 85 bpm

TABLE 2. – Rest 3 min before moving on to the next exercise
Conditio Systolic Diastolic HR Pulse
MAP
n (mmHg) (mmHg) (bpm) Pressure

Rest 120 80 70 bpm 40 mmHg 93.2

(sitting) mmHg mmHg mmHg

Small 122 80 72 bpm 42 mmHg 93.86

Muscle mmHg mmHg mmHg

Rest 122 80 75 bpm 42 mmHg 93.86

(sitting) mmHg mmHg mmHg

Large 135 86 103 bpm 49 mmHg 102.17

Muscle mmHg mmHg mmHg

Rest 120 80 74 bpm 40 mmHg 93.2

(sitting) mmHg mmHg mmHg

Isometric 142 86 100 bpm 56 mmHg 104.48

Exercise mmHg mmHg mmHg

TWO graphs must be included in your write-up.

Discussion:

Students got in groups to measure blood pressure under multiple conditions. Taking turns,
each subject determined their partner's blood pressures while standing, sitting, and laying down
while waiting for 2 minutes in each position before completing the readings. After completing
the data for table 1, move to table 2 procedures by choosing one partner to complete all the
exercises given and follow the same procedure to measure blood pressure.
As a result of these tests, we were able to collect Systolic and Diastolic pressure from
means of the Sphygmomanometer. We were able to conclude that as activity levels were
increased through exercise, that our blood pressure numbers also increased. We were also able to
prove that by calculating our MAP and our pulse pressure levels, they also increased. As the
body was more relaxed, blood pressure levels were decreased. This is a depiction that as activity
level increases, so does blood pressure because arteries are being contracted to compensate for
the increased heart rate during activities.
Possible sources of error can account from misusing the Sphygmomanometer and gaining
incorrect measurements of blood pressure. Releasing the pressure on the cuff too quickly can
lead to error because it would make it difficult to hear the first Korotkoff sound. In order to
correct these forms of error, more practice of using the Sphygmomanometer will be included in
the lesson.

Questions:

Answer all of the questions from the lab handout here, in complete sentences.

1. What effect does laying down, sitting and standing have on blood pressure? What are the
reasons for this change?

While measuring blood pressure, it was evident that as participants were measuring their
blood pressure while standing it was the highest, then followed by sitting, and lastly
laying down produced the lowest blood pressure. This is because the body is at a more
excited state standing up compared to sitting down and the same goes for sitting to lying
down. As the body is more relaxed, the lower the blood pressure present because heart
rate is decreased and little contraction of the arteries is needed compared to if it was at a
more excited state.
 2. Based on data collected in Table 2, which of the three exercises created the greatest
change (increase) in systolic pressure? Which on heart rate? Why?

Of the three exercises, the isometric exercise produced the highest systolic pressure and
the large muscle exercise produced the highest on heart rate. This is because systolic pressure is
in relation to the amount of pressure in your arteries during the contraction of your heart muscle
and isometric exercises increase heart rate the most in this situation. More of an increase in heart
rate results in a greater pressure on the arteries. The large muscle produces the greatest heart rate
because more oxygen is needed to be produced during those exercises.

3. Why should the isometric exercise have a greater effect on MAP than the other
conditions?

Isometric exercises produce the greatest heart rate. Increased heart rate increases the
pressure on the arteries to contract which increases pressure. MAP refers to the average pressure
that the arteries are subjected to, so thus ultimately isometric exercise resulting in the greatest
effect.

4. There are several factors that can alter your resting blood pressure measurement, by
either increasing or decreasing it. List 3 factors and indicate if it would cause an increase
or decrease in blood pressure.

Blood pressure increases with increased cardiac output.

Blood pressure decreases with decreased volume of blood.

Blood pressure increases with increased peripheral vascular resistance

5. What is the difference between ‘hypotension’ and ‘hypertension’?

Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is when too much blood is being
pumped into your arteries, while hypotension is the opposite. Not enough blood is flowing
throughout the body.