Blood Pressure Part 2

Blood Pressure Part 2

• Increased Blood Pressure: Caused by increased cardiac output, increased peripheral vascular resistance, increased blood volume, increased viscosity, and decreased arterial elasticity.

• Decreased Blood Pressure: Caused by decreased cardiac output, decreased peripheral vascular resistance, decreased blood volume, decreased blood viscosity, and increased arterial elasticity.

Factors Influencing Blood Pressure

• Age: Blood pressure changes with age. Newborns have different blood pressure than older adults. Specific readings are provided for different age groups.

• Stress: Anxiety, fear, and pain initially increase blood pressure due to increased heart rate, cardiac output, and peripheral vascular resistance.

• Gender: No significant difference in blood pressure between boys and girls before puberty. After puberty, males have higher readings. Women tend to have higher readings after menopause, compared to men the same age.

• Race: Incidence of hypertension is higher in Black people than White people due to factors from genetics as well as environmental influences.

• Daily Variations: Blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day. Lowest during sleep, highest in the afternoon, a decrease in the evening, and a rise starting from 4-6 AM.

• Activity: Older adults experience a 5-10 mm Hg drop in blood pressure one hour after eating. Blood pressure can decrease for several hours following strenuous exercise.

• Medications: Some medications directly or indirectly affect blood pressure. Antihypertensive medications such as diuretics, vasodilators, and beta-blockers lower blood pressure. Narcotic pain relievers may lower blood pressure, while vasoconstrictors and intravenous fluids may raise blood pressure.