If the blood pressure cuff is too small, the reading is typically:

If the blood pressure cuff is too small, the reading is typically:

• A. Inaccurate high blood pressure reading
• B. Inaccurate low blood pressure reading
• C. No reading
• D. Accurate reading

Answer: (A)

Using a cuff that is too small makes the blood pressure reading appear higher than the true value. The narrow cuff needs more external pressure to compress the artery, so when you measure, the device or auscultation stops the flow at a higher cuff pressure. That pushes systolic (and often diastolic) values upward, giving an inaccurately high reading. To avoid this, choose a cuff with a width about 40% of the arm circumference and a bladder length about 80% of the arm circumference. If a proper size isn’t available, take care to measure on the same arm with the best possible fit, and consider repeating with a correctly sized cuff. This is why the correct conclusion is that the reading is an inaccurate high blood pressure reading.

Using a cuff that is too small makes the blood pressure reading appear higher than the true value. The narrow cuff needs more external pressure to compress the artery, so when you measure, the device or auscultation stops the flow at a higher cuff pressure. That pushes systolic (and often diastolic) values upward, giving an inaccurately high reading. To avoid this, choose a cuff with a width about 40% of the arm circumference and a bladder length about 80% of the arm circumference. If a proper size isn’t available, take care to measure on the same arm with the best possible fit, and consider repeating with a correctly sized cuff. This is why the correct conclusion is that the reading is an inaccurate high blood pressure reading.