Does the BP cuff size make a difference when taking the BP?
I have a 17 year old son who has pre-hypertension. He is 6' 4" and weighs about 205 lbs. If we take his BP with a medium BP cuff, it measures in the 135 range. However, if we take it with a large cuff, it measure a lot lower. Which cuff size should we use for him? Why does the cuff size make such a big difference in his blood pressure measurement?
Patti,
Thanks for your question.
If a BP cuff is too small for a given individual, the readings tend to be higher because the cuff actually stretches when inflated. A larger cuff will give a more accurate reading, because the cuff is inflated without strectching the ballon inside. It's OK to use a large cuff on a normal sized arm, but not OK to use normal cuff on a large (or very muscular) arm.
Bring this to his doctor's attention on his next visit for his opinion.
Best wishes.
Martin Cane, M.D.
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