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Article: The Rhythm of Your Heart
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- March 22, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Louis went to the doctor for a checkup before trying out for his
school soccer team. While he was there, the nurse strapped a cuff on
his upper arm to check his blood pressure. (The device used to
measure blood pressure has a weird name. It's called a
sphygmomanometer.)
The nurse squeezed a bulb to make the cuff tighten against
Louis's arm. Then she released the tightness and watched the numbers
on a gauge. "You're blood pressure is normal," she told Louis.
"Your heart is doing its work well."
Your heart provides the force to move your blood through your
body. The heart is a powerful muscle that squeezes and rests,
squeezes and rests, every minute of the day as long as you are
alive. It ...