Why the study?
Does forearm blood pressure measurement differ from upper arm blood pressure measurement in adults?
Does forearm blood pressure measurement differ from upper arm blood pressure measurement in adults?
Forearm blood pressure measurements are systematically higher than upper arm measurements, particularly in men, obese, and middle-aged adults, suggesting they are not directly interchangeable.
Forearm BP readings should not yet be interchanged with upper arm values in practice; this Level 4 observation leaves open the need for prospective validation.
The upper arm is the primary site used to obtain a blood pressure measurement (BPM); however, when it is not possible to use the upper arm, the forearm is a commonly used alternate site. This study determines if there is a significant difference between upper arm and forearm BPMs among adults and examines the relationship of participant characteristics to the BPM difference. A convenience sample was recruited from a low-income, independent-living, 104-apartment complex in the Midwest. Of the 106 participants, 64% were female and 89% were White. Ages ranged from 20 to 85 years (M = 50.7). The investigators calculated the BMIs (range = 18 to 42, M = 29.3, SD = 5.4) for the 89% (n = 94) of participants who reported their weight. The forearm tended to have higher BPMs than the upper arm (M difference = 4.0 mm Hg systolic, 2.3 mm Hg diastolic). However, site differences were greatest for men, obese adults, and middle aged (36 to 65) adults.
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Domiano et al. (2008) studied this question.
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