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. 1984 May 26;288(6430):1574-5.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.288.6430.1574.

Influence of arm position on measurement of blood pressure

J Webster, D Newnham, J C Petrie, H G Lovell

Influence of arm position on measurement of blood pressure

J Webster et al. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). .

Abstract

A series of measurements of blood pressure in normotensive and hypertensive subjects showed that measurements made with a sphygmomanometer with the arm dependent by the side were consistently higher than those made with the arm horizontal at heart level. The mean difference in a group of 90 hypertensive outpatients was 11/12 mm Hg. Failure to appreciate the importance of arm position may lead to erroneous measurements of blood pressure. This has important implications for clinical practice and research.

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