What happens if the blood pressure cuff is too wide

If the cuff is too wide, the measured blood pressure will be too low, and if the cuff is too narrow, it will cause the blood pressure to be too high. Therefore, you should choose a cuff that is two-thirds of the circumference of the upper arm. You should choose the size of the cuff according to the size of your arm. When the blood pressure cuff is too loose or too narrow, we will check the effect. You can learn about the content introduced in this article and then prevent these causes.

The cuff width of the sphygmomanometer should cover 2/3 of the length of the upper arm, and the cuff length should reach 2/3 of the circumference of the upper arm. If the cuff is too narrow, the measured blood pressure value will be too high. If the cuff is too long, the measured blood pressure value will be too low. Use an air bag cuff of appropriate size, and the air bag should cover at least 80% of the upper arm. Most adults with an arm circumference of 25cm-35cm can use a standard cuff with a balloon length of 22cm-26cm and a width of 12cm (the current specifications of the balloon of domestic commercial mercury sphygmomanometers are: 22cm long and 12cm wide). Obese people or those with large arm circumference should use large-sized air bag cuffs; children should use small-sized air bag cuffs.

What happens if the blood pressure cuff is too loose or too tight?

When measuring blood pressure, it is not good to have the cuff too loose or too tight, as this will affect the measurement accuracy of the blood pressure monitor. If the cuff is wrapped too tightly, the blood vessels will be compressed before air is injected, causing the measured value to be lower. If the cuff is wrapped too loosely, the measured value will be higher. If the measured limb is too high, the measured value may be too low due to the influence of blood gravity. If the limb is too low, the measured value will be too high.

When measuring blood pressure, the cuff should be of appropriate tightness, the cuff must be tied around the right upper arm, the sleeve must be taken off, and the lower edge of the cuff must be 2.5 cm away from the elbow. The stethoscope is placed on the antecubital fossa over the arterial pulse.