Why is it important to let the air out of the cuff slowly?

The cuff is inflated slowly: a slow inflation causes venous congestion, which in turn causes the Korotkoff sounds to be faint; this results in false readings with the systolic value being too low and the diastolic reading too high.

What happens if you deflate the cuff too quickly?

Excessive deflation rates are one of the most common causes of measurement error – often distorting readings by 10mmHg to as much as 20mmHg. When the deflation rate is too quick, the observer’s reaction time – much slower than the rapid deflation rate – may result in gross underestimation of blood pressure.

How does releasing the valve too quickly affect blood pressure?

Before taking the blood pressure, the observer should be in a comfortable and relaxed position, because if hurried the pressure will be released too rapidly, resulting in underestimation of systolic and overestimation of diastolic pressures.

How fast should you release air from blood pressure cuff?

The cuff should be deflated at a rate of 2-3 mmHg per second. You should note when the sounds first appear with two consecutive beats; this is the systolic pressure.

What is the purpose of inflating the blood pressure cuff?

To measure blood pressure, your doctor uses an instrument call a sphygmomanometer, which is more often referred to as a blood pressure cuff. The cuff is wrapped around your upper arm and inflated to stop the flow of blood in your artery.

Why is proper cuff size important for blood pressure?

Using a blood pressure cuff that’s too large or too small can give you inaccurate blood pressure readings. Your doctor’s office should have several sizes of cuffs to ensure an accurate blood pressure reading. When you measure your blood pressure at home, it’s important to use the proper size cuff.

How important is the recommended slow cuff pressure deflation rate for blood pressure measurement?

A cuff deflation rate based on heart rate is recommended to help minimize changes in measurement error when measuring blood pressure if a wide range of heart rates will be encountered.

When should I release my blood pressure cuff?

Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points (mm Hg) above your expected systolic pressure. At this point, you should not hear your pulse in the stethoscope. Keeping your eyes on the gauge, slowly release the pressure in the cuff by opening the airflow valve counterclockwise.

How does cuff size affect blood pressure?

Studies have shown that using too small of a blood pressure cuff can cause a patient’s systolic blood pressure measurement to increase 10 to 40 mmHg. Blood Pressure Cuff Used Over Clothing1,3,4 – When having your blood pressure measured, the cuff should always be placed directly on your arm.

Why does my blood pressure cuff keep inflating?

If the device can’t get the signals it needs because the cuff is not in the right place, it may end up over-inflating. Similarly, if you’re moving during the reading, your monitor may be “thrown off” and the cuff may remain inflated for a longer period in order to take a measurement.

What happens if you over inflate a blood pressure cuff?

A BP cuff that is too large will give falsely low readings, while an overly small cuff will provide readings that are falsely high. The American Heart Association publishes guidelines for blood pressure measurement [2].

What is the advantage of a trigger release sphygmomanometer?

what is the advantage of a trigger release sphygmomanometer system? it does not have to be unscrewed manually, it releases air automatically with a trigger. bp can be lowered by 5mm if it is one size too large.