Reinflating Blood Pressure Cuff

[AdamB1818]

Random question about taking blood pressures that I could not find elsewhere:
If you are taking a blood pressure and are not sure which number you heard the systolic beat at, would it be appropriate to reinflate the cuff past that number to listen again?

For example, if I am unsure if I heard a beat at 150, could I reinflate the cuff to 160 to listen again. Would this affect the reading in anyway?

Thank you.

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[Smurfette]

Yes, you can reinflate. No, it should not significantly affect the reading.

 

[420 blaze it]

Do people actually try to be accurate with BPs?

 

[Ismet]

Do people actually try to be accurate with BPs?

Yes. And don't always trust the digital BP cuffs. If you're concerned about a BP, check a manual, and use the correct cuff size.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Do people actually try to be accurate with BPs?

Well yeah, it's kind of important... My wife and baby would have died if the MFM doc hadn't of had a hunch and taken a manual pressure that he tried to accurately read.

 

[Psai]

Do people actually try to be accurate with BPs?

If you're thinking about putting someone on a medication for the rest of their life, you better be sure that you're doing the right thing.

 

[Onefellswoop87]

Random question about taking blood pressures that I could not find elsewhere:
If you are taking a blood pressure and are not sure which number you heard the systolic beat at, would it be appropriate to reinflate the cuff past that number to listen again?

For example, if I am unsure if I heard a beat at 150, could I reinflate the cuff to 160 to listen again. Would this affect the reading in anyway?

Thank you.

As others have said, no, re-inflating will not give false readings.

But to try to avoid this problem, palate a radial pulse as you inflate the cuff. When you no longer feel the radial pulse, pump up about 10mm Hg more, then take your readings.

If you just pump up the cuff for everyone to ~160, then you miss the people's true systolic that are REALLY hypertensive.

 

[AdamB1818]

I've heard about this topic from a very well-respected neurologist who told me that you need to let the pressure go all the way back down to 0 before you reinflate.

To update

 

[jl lin]

I've heard about this topic from a very well-respected neurologist who told me that you need to let the pressure go all the way back down to 0 before you reinflate.

To update

What is more important IMHO is cuff size. Size matters. Be a bit slower coming down at first. Yes. You are ideally supposed to totally deflate, but pumping back up a little shouldn't affect it too much. Hurting or making the pt uncomfortable will definitely affect the pt's reading too. LOL
In emergencies, sometimes you may not hear anything, but you may be able to palpate a systolic. The automated BPs won't often be able to give you a reading in such instances. So I have been lobbying to have manual cuffs put back in on Step-down floors in certain places. I find it unacceptable that some of these floors only use the automated BP machines and portable suction machines, rather than having manual BPs and wall suction at the bedside. Very stupid. It also annoys me when even intensive care units don't have enough varying-sized cuffs...especially in peds units. Whose idea was it to only have 5 or so varying sized cuffs for a 20-50 bed unit?

 

[Psai]

I've heard about this topic from a very well-respected neurologist who told me that you need to let the pressure go all the way back down to 0 before you reinflate.

To update

Cool story bro