A blood pressure cuff that is too small will read higher or lower?

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Multiple Choice

A blood pressure cuff that is too small will read higher or lower?

Explanation:
A cuff that is too small yields a falsely high blood pressure reading. When the bladder is undersized, more cuff pressure is needed to compress the brachial artery and stop blood flow, so the cuff pressure that first stops flow (the systolic value) ends up higher than the actual arterial pressure. The diastolic value can also be overestimated for the same reason. To avoid this, use a properly sized cuff: the bladder should encircle about 80% of the arm, and its width should be roughly 40% of the arm’s circumference. Place the cuff with the lower edge a couple of centimeters above the elbow, and keep the arm supported at heart level during measurement.

A cuff that is too small yields a falsely high blood pressure reading. When the bladder is undersized, more cuff pressure is needed to compress the brachial artery and stop blood flow, so the cuff pressure that first stops flow (the systolic value) ends up higher than the actual arterial pressure. The diastolic value can also be overestimated for the same reason. To avoid this, use a properly sized cuff: the bladder should encircle about 80% of the arm, and its width should be roughly 40% of the arm’s circumference. Place the cuff with the lower edge a couple of centimeters above the elbow, and keep the arm supported at heart level during measurement.

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