Page 57 - Clinical Pearls in Cardiology

Arterial Pulse and Blood Pressure 45

MAP often is monitored, along with systolic and diastolic
blood pressures, in critically-ill patients.
24. How will you ideally record blood pressure?
The person should sit with straight back with his legs
uncrossed. His feet should rest on a firm flat surface. He
should be completely relaxed. Ideally, blood pressure
should not be measured if the patient has engaged in
recent physical activity, used tobacco, ingested caffeine
or eaten food within the past thirty minutes.

Fig. 9: Recording of blood pressure

The arm on which the blood pressure is recorded
should be supported on a flat surface. An ideal cuff
should be wide enough to cover two-thirds of the