Q: I take my blood pressure daily with two different devices (1) with an arm cuff and a (2) wrist cuff. The differences in readings can be as high as 25 points although they are taken at the same time. What is the cause of this?
A: Wrist cuffs are not felt to be as accurate as an arm cuff. Blood pressure changes from moment to moment. In addition if you are taking an arm cuff pressure and wrist cuff pressure on the same arm, the arm cuff is blocking blood flow to the wrist.
Harvard Health Video on Measuring Blood Pressure Correctly
There is a right way and a wrong way to measure your blood pressure. In this video, Harvard Heart Letter Editor Patrick Skerrett demonstrates both.
(6 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
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I’ve seen changes of up to 20 points within minutes on the same machine. As the doc says BP changes constantly. I would doubt its the machine. I’ve also alternated between cuff and wrists units and the results track fairly closely usually within a few points.
Thanks for the video, that is a good reminder to use proper methodology when taking blood pressure at home.