Blood pressure

[rainbow2]

Should your blood presssure reading be taken from your left arm? Last time I went for a reading the nurse (male) insisted it should be from my left arm as it is nearest the heart. Nobody else has ever said that to me and generally they take it from my right arm. Was he just being a clever so-and-so, and does it really matter which arm they use?

[20SilkCut]

I'm really not sure if it matters which arm they use, however, each time a reading is taken, it should be taken on the same arm - with the same kind of blood pressure apparatus.

[karenmac60]

Mr mac has a fistula on his left arm and must never have his blood pressure taken on that arm or have blood drawn from it either. I think maybe he was trying to be a smart a**e ;)

[bobjugs12]

He was alking arrse. You can take a BP from either arm, but you should note which arm you use as your BP changes between arms due to the difference in branches in your Aortic Arch.

[ttfn]

rainbow - most doctors would take the bp on the left arm. I spent 10 days in hospital for crucially high bp years ago and was on continuous bp monitoring for 5 solid days - always on the left arm. Some people have had relationships that are shorter lived than me and the sphygmomanometer!

[Sqad]

It doesn't matter.

[rowanwitch]

In an emergency/ or where the arms can't be used and with the right size cuff you can take it from the thighs saying that we were taught in nurse training to use the left arm if possible but that was so we all did the same thing as Bob said its about getting consistant readings Good answer Bob..looks like the training is going well

[carlton23]

I have been having my BP taken regularly for many years and can`t remember ever having it taken from the left arm, but I will ask my GP what he thinks to-morrow when he does it yet again.