Blood pressure fluctuations by device or cuff size

[Rusty]

At docs cause I hurt my back Saturday lifting 15 pound dumbbells. Ya that’s right 15!!! I was so pissed. I was doing shoulder accessory and my third set I bent over to pick them up and bam. Been taking ibuprofen 800 every six hours ice heat stretch repeat. Left side isn’t any better so hoping muscle relaxers will do it got deadlines this week.

So they used the small cuff on me the first time and it was 180/130. I said that can’t be right. They used the big cuff and it was 150 over 100. Still high doc said probably cause the ibuprofen and pain. But a 30 point diff between cuff sizes wow!!

 

[JLee]

I have read somewhere that if you have bigger arms you need a larger cuff. I asked a nurse this at my last DR appointment (as she put the children cuff on my arm) and she said it doesn’t make that big of a difference. I know that a few guys here who will argue otherwise.

Hope your back feels better too

 

[Rusty]

Thanks. It clearly made a big difference for me today lol.

 

[maxxy10]

I have the same issues doctors electronic are always high but when they do it manually it’s always good

 

[NeuroRN]

As someone that makes decisions that effects life and death based off that cuff…. It’s makes the difference between starting a med to keep you alive or not. It’s commonly the most overlooked reason for very false readings.

I’ve had a patient started on a medication they didn’t need Bc of cuff size. When the right cuff was on they were 220/130 and had a stroke.

 

[Poppy]

220/130 and had a stroke.

Wow

 

[NeuroRN]

Yessssir. All Bc of a lil ole cuff.

 

[Poppy]

Heart attacks and strokes have made me lose sleep… that’s my boogie man.

 

[NeuroRN]

With good reason. They are Number one and two killers in the world a long time running.

 

[Rusty]

Really!!! That’s messed up bro. It seems like such a simple thing to fix. Do they have a recommended arm size per cuff? Like 17 and under small and 18 and over large??

 

[NeuroRN]

It will give a measurement on the cuff for what arm size it fits!

 

[Rusty]

Both fit my arm but one was much more tight then the other. That’s why I am curious if there is specifications

 

[NeuroRN]

There is. You’d have to look at the cuff

 

[Poppy]

Number one and two killers in the world

Well if it happens it’s going to NOT be because of a dumb thing I did.

 

[NeuroRN]

That’s all we can do!

 

[Tbgr]

I noticed this during my BP incident, the cuff size and how tight you set it initially, had a huge impact on BP readings.

Very important info for people to realize for sure

 

[Rusty]

I agree

 

[Jonny]

150 over 100 sucks too. What’s your blood pressure normally?

 

[Dirtnasty]

Yep hell I can see differnse in arm just due to size
Difference on wrist reader