What is it?
During the measurement of your blood pressure, a soft cuff is placed around your bare upper arm. Inside the cuff is a rubbery inflatable bag, often called a bladder. This cuff is then inflated gently to interrupt the bloodflow in your artery.  When the cuff is deflated, blood flows again and can be heard with a stethoscope or recorded by an electronic device.  This depends on the type of measurement tool used.

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Size is crucial
In either case, to get a reliable reading, the correct cuff size is essential. Most sphygmomanometers have three different cuff sizes: one for thin arms, one for thicker arms and one for the thickest arms.  80 % of the inflatable bladder inside the cuff should encircle the arm.

Incorrect reading
If an undersized cuff is used, the blood pressure can be overestimated by 10 – 25 mm Hg. Since many hypertensive patients carry excess weight, a larger cuff should always be at hand. Incorrect measurement has health and cost implications.

Dr Kathleen Coetzee, MBChB

Read more:
Hypertension and essential fatty acids
Why worry about hypertension?

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