I need help and proofread on this project please.

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Problem: How does video games affect blood pressure.


Hypthesis: If an average person plays videos games than blood pressure will increae.
Materials: An average person, televison, video games, (HELP) What do people use to measure the blood pressure?
Procedures: (HELP) I kinda need help with the procedure, i can't think of any

(HELP) I also need help we independant variables and dependent variables, controls, constant.

The bold sentences are the help i need for my project
Thank you.

[tdaly]

OK. Thanks for posting in detail what you need help with.

First off, what grade are you in? Second, why are you doing this project (for a class, for fun, to win a prize, etc.)?

If you can answer these two questions, I'll be able to help yor work out your materials, procedures, variables, and controls.

Looking forward to hearing more from you,

[Craig_Bridge]

What do people use to measure the blood pressure?

Usually blood pressure cuffs. Some home use manual pump automatic sensor varieties can be found for $40-50. Fully automatic ones cost more because of the air pump motor.

Experiments involving people can have a large variation in responses which means you need a large sample size (many test subjects).

What the person has been doing prior to measuring the "before" blood pressure can affect the results so you need to provide some "stabilization period".

People can get excited or anxious about something "new" so you probably need to run the same experiment with the same person several times so the "newness" factor wears off.

You should do some research into what affects blood pressure and try to eliminate those factors from your experimental proceedure. Some of these factors involve medications.

[popups12]

OK. Thanks for posting in detail what you need help with.

First off, what grade are you in? Second, why are you doing this project (for a class, for fun, to win a prize, etc.)?

If you can answer these two questions, I'll be able to help yor work out your materials, procedures, variables, and controls.

Looking forward to hearing more from you,

7th grade, for class

[tdaly]

OK, let's take this one step at a time:

1. How do people measure blood pressure? Blood pressure is measured using a sphygmomanometer. That's a big word that just means a cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and the pressure in the cuff is recorded. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_pressure for more information. You're interested in the non-invasive methods ONLY.

NOTE: Blood pressure monitors can be very unreliable if not used in the proper way. I would highly reccomend asking someone like a doctor, nurse, etc. to help you figure out the best way to measure blood pressure.

2. Procedures. You need to have two groups: a control group and an experimental group. The control group will do everything the experimental group does EXCEPT actually play the video game. These things that are the same are your controls. I would reccomend measuring the blood pressure of everyone in both your groups before the treatment and then after the treatment. You can then compare the pre- and post- measurements.

3. Variables. The independent variable is the thing that you change. In your case, this would be playing video games. The dependent (sometimes called the response variable) is what changes because of the independent variable. So, since you are expecting blood pressure to change, your dependent variable would be blood pressure.

Let me know if you need anything else,

[zzzzdoc]

As Terik has said, blood pressure is typically measured with a cuff and a device called a sphygmomanometer. These days, there are many automated devices that do this for you. Generically, they are called Dinamaps (DINAMAP stands for Device for Indirect Non-invasive Automatic Mean Arterial Pressure. It is actually a patent name from General Electric, the first company that made a successful automated one. Sort of how we call copies Xeroxes.) Most drug stores sell a variety of these. Not as accurate as the $3-4,000 ones that I use every day, but they'll be fine for this.

These devices work by raising the pressure of the cuff over the arterial pressure of the blood going into a limb. They look for oscillations of the pressure wave caused by the pulse.

The Algorithm used by most DINAMAPs:
1. It first determines the amplitude at MAP (mean arterial pressure, which is a mathematically determined number), which is the lowest cuff pressure at which maximum amplitude is sensed
2. It then reviews the data above MAP and find the pressure that generates amplitude of 0.5 of the amplitude of MAP --> that is systolic blood pressure
3. Finally it reviews the data below MAP and find the pressures that generates amplitude of 0.625 of the amplitude of MAP --> that is diastolic blood pressure

The Dinamap can be used on the upper OR lower arm, as well as the upper or lower leg to determine blood pressure. Those pressures can be different and you need to use the same site for all your measurements.

There is a phenomenon commonly known as "White Coat Syndrome." It is people getting nervous when going to see the doctor, and their blood pressure going up. You may see some of this same phenomenon in your initial blood pressure readings of your subjects. This is what Craig is alluding to.

I would suggest taking 3 BP readings, at least 5 minutes apart with your subjects remaining calm. Use the average of these for your baseline reading. This will allow the subjects to get accustomed to the procedure, and be less nervous. Also, repeated BP readings can get somewhat uncomfortable. Keep that in mind.


You will need a number of subjects to get any meaningful data. The more the better. More than 10 without a doubt. Medical studies with BP are done in groups of thousands or tens of thousands. Differences can be very small.

Control all the other variables that you can. Have all of the subjects seated. Don't let them get up. Make sure no one is taking medicine for high blood pressure. They can't be used for your experiment. Use the same video game, and the same controllers. No driving games for some and more sedate games for others.

These are just starting points, but you should be getting the idea.

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What are the controls and constants?
Which site should i make my line graph with?

[tdaly]

Controls are the things that you keep the same. For instance, you might want to make sure that all your subjects don't smoke. There are lots of other things you can control. Can you think of some more?

I'm not sure what you mean by "Which site should i make my line graph with?" Are you asking which computer program you should use? Please clarify.

Thanks,