In measuring the pressure with automatic devices, the sleeve, i.e. the bracelet that wraps around the arm, can make the difference: if it is too wide or too tight compared to the circumference of the
“Despite guidelines, individualized cuff size selection is often overlooked,” the researchers write, and “a standard adult cuff is often routinely used for all individuals.” The practice, according to the experimentation conducted on 195 volunteers, makes the measurement unreliable.
In people with an arm that is too small in relation to the cuff, in fact, the instrument is wrong by default, detecting an average maximum pressure 3.6 points lower than the real one. In people with too large an arm, it errs by excess, giving a score 4.8 points higher. In cases where the circumference of the arm is particularly marked, the error can reach 19.5 points.
“Errors in blood pressure measurement may be associated with underdiagnosis of hypertension, resulting in underestimation of cardiovascular risk, delays in treatment, and the early onset of complications associated with hypertension,” reads an editorial published in the same issue. of the magazine. “Conversely, an overdiagnosis of hypertension exposes people to unnecessary adverse effects of treatment.”
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