blood pressure cuff

twinkles said:
when they take your blood pressure do they make the cuff real tight---when i go to have my blood pressure taken the cuff is so tight it makes a bruise on my arm--does this happen to you?its like they are taken bone pressure--i dont have that much meat on my arms
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They use the machine? The machine was squeezing me too tight and causing bruises and hurting me. The clinic I go to now uses the cuff they have to pump and they listen with the stethoscope.
 

Here's how the blood pressure is taken. When they pump up the cuff it has to go as high as to stop the pulse from registering. or heard with a stethoscope. That's the high. Then the cuff deflates and registers when the pulse can be heard again.
This is done electronically or manually. I always wonder about manually. If the person taking it is hard of hearing the reading could be false.
Now the tightness of the cuff. No matter how the cuff is put on the cuff tightens till it gets a reading.
One more thing. There is a microphone on the cuff and it should be positioned properly so that the reading becomes more efficient especially with an electronic unit. Follow the instructions on the unit.
I also know that it could be read while leaving your sweater on and the cuff over the sweater.
Now to determine where the artery pulse in your arm is. With your palm up.and the light on your elbow. You can see your pulse. You can even determine your heart rate. Count it for ten seconds and multiply by ten. If they position the cuff way too high the machine will have to squeeze harder to get a reading. A doctor knows exactly where to put the microphone. Watch him.
Am I boring you? That's good , your pressure will be lower.
 

In my experience, when machines do the BP readings instead of humans, the cuff blows up uncomfortably tight. Very uncomfortably.

I tend to have quite good BP (readings range between 90-120 stystolic and between 60-75 diastolic) and a BMI under 25, so those wouldn't be factors.
 
StarSong said:
In my experience, when machines do the BP readings instead of humans, the cuff blows up uncomfortably tight. Very uncomfortably.

I tend to have quite good BP (readings range between 90-120 stystolic and between 60-75 diastolic) and a BMI under 25, so those wouldn't be factors.
Click to expand...
The machines are set to take a reading at 160 or below. If it can't get a reading at 160 it pumps more till it gets a pulse stop. It's not always tight or uncomfortable. And the cuff should be positioned exactly as the machine recommends it for best results.
 
Yes, they put the BP cuff on way too tight at drs office...I don’t bruise though.

I have a wrist one at home and it reads slightly lower than drs or I just have white coat syndrome.

Also I think it depends when during the day I take it.

At drs it’s always 8 am because I like being the first appt of the day.
 
This thread reminded me that I'm scheduled for a phone visit on Friday to evaluate my blood pressure medication. I didn't know that I had high blood pressure until I went for another ailment. It was 189/87 and they sent me home with an electronic cuff device and a prescription.

Since I'm sure my clinician will ask for my recent readings, I just took my blood pressure. It's still high, but not that high and perhaps not really abnormal, given my age.
 
Camper6 said:
Here's how the blood pressure is taken. When they pump up the cuff it has to go as high as to stop the pulse from registering. or heard with a stethoscope. That's the high. Then the cuff deflates and registers when the pulse can be heard again.
This is done electronically or manually. I always wonder about manually. If the person taking it is hard of hearing the reading could be false.
Now the tightness of the cuff. No matter how the cuff is put on the cuff tightens till it gets a reading.
One more thing. There is a microphone on the cuff and it should be positioned properly so that the reading becomes more efficient especially with an electronic unit. Follow the instructions on the unit.
I also know that it could be read while leaving your sweater on and the cuff over the sweater.
Now to determine where the artery pulse in your arm is. With your palm up.and the light on your elbow. You can see your pulse. You can even determine your heart rate. Count it for ten seconds and multiply by ten. If they position the cuff way too high the machine will have to squeeze harder to get a reading. A doctor knows exactly where to put the microphone. Watch him.
Am I boring you? That's good , your pressure will be lower.
Click to expand...
no you are not boring me--its always a nurse that takes my blood pressure-i asked them not to make the bp cuff so tight and they said they have to
 
i have been taken triamterine for yearsas it has a fluid pill- the doctor told me not to take it for a week-my feet and my ankles swelled up so big it was hard to walk--the assistant doctor told me to take 2 lisiniprill(sp) but it has no fluid pill in it--so my feet and ankles are still swollen some-i have an appointment with the doctor thursday
 
Lewkat said:
Did they retake it or check the other arm as well? What was done about it? Something, I hope.
Click to expand...
they told me to take 2 blood pressure pills--but the ones they told me to take doesnt have a fluid pill in it-my feet and ankles are still swolen some
 
StarSong said:
In my experience, when machines do the BP readings instead of humans, the cuff blows up uncomfortably tight. Very uncomfortably.

I tend to have quite good BP (readings range between 90-120 stystolic and between 60-75 diastolic) and a BMI under 25, so those wouldn't be factors.
Click to expand...
When they do it manually it's uncomfortable but, it's ok. And my pressure varies. But with the machine it literally hurts my arm and leaves bruises. The event itself kicks my pressure up and makes it read too high all the time.
 
MarciKS said:
When they do it manually it's uncomfortable but, it's ok. And my pressure varies. But with the machine it literally hurts my arm and leaves bruises. The event itself kicks my pressure up and makes it read too high all the time.
Click to expand...
Exactly what happens to me except I don't get bruises and they can still get a reading - though it's quite a bit higher than usual because I find the process so painful.

I am thinking of asking for a manual reading from now on. May lie and say the automatic cuff gives me bruises.
 
StarSong said:
Exactly what happens to me except I don't get bruises and they can still get a reading - though it's quite a bit higher than usual because I find the process so painful.

I am thinking of asking for a manual reading from now on. May lie and say the automatic cuff gives me bruises.
Click to expand...
For me the experience is so painful it makes me swear. It never used to be. Till they started with those machines. Then they began bellyaching cuz I refused to use it. Last time they did it with the machine I went in the next day & showed the nurse my bruises. And like you the pain of it raised my blood pressure. I never had high blood pressure till they started using the machines. Now it varies depending on whether I'm sick or not or under stress. You know...like it should.
 
MarciKS said:
For me the experience is so painful it makes me swear. It never used to be. Till they started with those machines. Then they began bellyaching cuz I refused to use it. Last time they did it with the machine I went in the next day & showed the nurse my bruises. And like you the pain of it raised my blood pressure. I never had high blood pressure till they started using the machines. Now it varies depending on whether I'm sick or not or under stress. You know...like it should.
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This is so helpful to know @MarciKS. I thought I was the only one and was being a baby. Like you, I never before objected to getting my BP read.
 
StarSong said:
This is so helpful to know @MarciKS. I thought I was the only one and was being a baby. Like you, I never before objected to getting my BP read.
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Glad I could be of help. I thought the same thing the way they were acting. Nurse got kinda snitty with me one day & I asked her since when was it ok for people to leave the office with bruises from something that has never physically hurt them before. Then she popped off about relying on someone's hearing. I told her I'd take my chances and that if she was too deaf to do it to go get another nurse.
 
twinkles said:
no you are not boring me--its always a nurse that takes my blood pressure-i asked them not to make the bp cuff so tight and they said they have to
Click to expand...
If you are having problems with blood pressure readings it would be best to buy a unit and take it at home yourself. The one I have is Life brand and it stores your readings in memory and gives an average of the last three readings which is a better way of assessing your pressure since it varies over days and time. At the doctors office you get one reading and it might be on a day when you are under stress and it's always higher for me at the doctor's office. It's called white coat syndrome. Then take it into your next appointment and compare the readings you get. Mine was right on compared to the doctor's office.
 
My pet peeve about the BP reading in a doctor's office is that the patient is supposed to SIT QUIETLY with both feet on the floor and relax. Without fail, the assistant will start the BP reading and immediately start asking questions, checking temperature, etc. I refuse to answer them until the reading is taken, but I'm sure the aggravation causes a little rise in the reading.

Twinkles, were you in the doctor's office or in a testing lab? If you were at the doctor, they should have immediately taken a couple of more readings, on both arms. If you were not at the doctor, I'd suggest contacting your doctor ASAP.
 
C'est Moi said:
My pet peeve about the BP reading in a doctor's office is that the patient is supposed to SIT QUIETLY with both feet on the floor and relax. Without fail, the assistant will start the BP reading and immediately start asking questions, checking temperature, etc. I refuse to answer them until the reading is taken, but I'm sure the aggravation causes a little rise in the reading.

Twinkles, were you in the doctor's office or in a testing lab? If you were at the doctor, they should have immediately taken a couple of more readings, on both arms. If you were not at the doctor, I'd suggest contacting your doctor ASAP.
Click to expand...
That's odd. Our nurses here don't talk during the reading.
 
BP tests at the doctor's office are mostly worthless if they're causing you anxiety BEFORE they're ever done! White Coat Hypertension is the name they've given it, and now some MD's give you the malarkey that it's even more dangerous than regular hypertension. Sure, anything to get you set up on meds you don't need.

I have pins and a plate in my left arm. I request they use my right arm, to avoid causing me major pain, but even that minor confrontation with nurses who don't want to accommodate me, raises my bp. Then, I ask that they don't exceed 160 on the inflation, as my veins are, for a fact, easily bruised when they pump me up way beyond that. The whole thing is laughable: They tell me my bp, I tell them it's a joke

My old doctor, a guy my age who was cool, had the intelligence to take my blood pressure, himself, after the nurse irritated me. The reading was usually 110/65. Now, I leave the doctor's office with my 125/85, come back home, put on my cuff, and get the old 110/65, or thereabouts.

I avoid doctors as much as possible. If you're not sick when you go for a visit, they'll find something wrong, to make sure they can run tests and make more money off of you and your insurance. I view them the same way I do auto mechanics: Both deal with captive audiences. Both go for the bucks!
 

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