2001, Number 2
Implications of cuff size in the diagnosis of high blood pressure in non-hypertensive patients
Rubio GAF, Hernández LGD, Lozano NJJ, Vargas AG, Rodríguez LL, Arteaga GJ
Full text
Language: Spanish
References: 6
Page: 82-84
PDF size: 130.81 Kb.
ABSTRACT
Background: Hypertension diagnosis is based in several measurements of blood pressure, However, there are some rules to follow, as the correct cuff-size. It has not been evaluated how cuff changes cuff affect the blood pressure registers. Objective: To evaluate the differences in blood pressure measurements performed with different cuff-size. Methods: We studied 30 non-hypertensive subjects in whom after the measurement of the arm perimeter, blood pressure was registered with a validated Omrom HEM-712 semiautomatic equipment using in each patient both, the standard size-cuff and the largest one, the values obtained were compared with the Student T test. Results: We found a significative difference in the systolic (5 ± 2.8 mmHg p ‹ 0.01) and diastolic (2.1 ± 0.5 mmHg p ‹ 0.01) blood pressure in the values registered with both cuff. In 7 patients (23.3%) those differences cross the limits between normotension and high blood pressure. Conclusion: Our results confirm from a statistical point of view, the need of using the appropriate size-cuff according to the arm perimeter (the big one in armsrger than 30 cm), because the use of an inappropriate cuff increase the blood pressure values registered.REFERENCES