How Is Blood Pressure Taken?

In order for blood pressure to be taken, the patient must first be either supine, seated, or
standing. If the person is seated, their arm should be flexed, with the flexed elbow at the same
level as the heart. Since an anxious patient may produce inaccurate BP results, it is important to
wait a few minutes before taking blood pressure of an anxious patient. Reassure the patient that
you have no intent of chopping their arm off; you are just a doctor taking their blood pressure.
Assuming that we have a seated unanxious patient, with his arm flexed and at the level of his
heart, we must first use a properly sized blood pressure cuff. In order for the size to be properly
sized, the cuffs bladder must be equal to at least 80% of the circumference of the patients upper
arm. Assuming that you are a person who is not paralyzed, has not been mauled by a bear to the
point in which you cannot lift your arms to take blood pressure, and has not been in a freak
accident involving Santas sled landing on you as he landed on your roof, we may now continue to
the actually taking the blood pressure part. First, wrap the cuff around the patients upper arm;
the cuffs lower edge should be one inch above the antecubital fossa. Next, press the
stethoscopes bell over the brachial artery below the cuffs edge. Make sure to do this lightly,
regardless of how sadistic you are. Inflate the cuff to 180mmHg quickly, but not so quickly that
you miss the 180mmHg mark, and end up turning the BP cuff into a tourniquet. Following this,
release air from the cuff at 3mm/sec. Now, assuming that you have some level of multitasking
skills, listen with the stethoscope as you are observing the sphygmomanometer. You are hearing
the patients systolic pressure when you hear the first knocking sound. Once the knocking sound
stops, you are hearing the diastolic pressure. Make sure to record both arms of the patient, and
also be sure to note the difference. Record which position your patient was in, the arm used, and
the cuff size. If your patient has been eating too many burgers and salty McFries, and you notice
that the patients BP is elevated, make sure to remeasure the blood pressure 2 more times,
making sure to wait a few minutes between each measurement. If your patients systolic blood
pressure is of 120 to 139, he has prehypertension. If the systolic blood pressure is of 140 or higher,
your patient has hypertension. If the BP is 180/120mmHg, your patient has malignant
hypertension, meaning your patient either:
is a druggie (they use illegal drugs such as cocaine)
has kidney disease

has a spinal cord injury

has a tumor of their adrenal gland

simply knows that a baby would not fit into their lifestyle, therefore using birth control

pills; which can cause malignant hypertension

think babies look like potato sacks that poop and slobber, like I think
is using a certain medication that could cause malignant hypertension

In this case, your patient requires immediate medical attention.

If your patient has extraordinarily low blood pressure, they also require immediate medical
attention. When the body is not getting enough blood flow, the patient is known to have a
condition called shock. The cells and organs of their body are not getting enough oxygen and

nutrients to function properly if their blood flow is too low; therefore causing life-threatening
damage. Unless you are the Ted Bundy of medicine (and even if you are), please be sure to
immediately get the patient medical treatment, as the condition can worsen rapidly.