hingmed December 23, 2022With fully automated and technologically advanced blood pressure monitors, it becomes quite easier and more convenient to measure blood pressure at home. However, patients have been confronted with different blood pressure readings on different arms. Though, It is normal to have small differences large variations of both arms can be very harmful to health.
Why is BP Reading Different in Each Arm?
Different arm blood pressure will be different, which is a very normal phenomenon. Our bodies may look symmetrical, but inside us, all our organs are not in a symmetrical position. The heart is placed slightly on the left side of our chest’s midline. Also, the largest blood vessel and the aorta exit from the left side of our heart and circulate the blood throughout our body. So, it is normal to have moderately different readings between the right and left arm. However, a continuous difference above 10mmHg between both arms might be an indication of different cardiovascular diseases, including heart stroke, kidney problems, artery blockage, diabetes, and other heart issues.
The coronary arteries coming out directly from the aorta into our left arm are more likely to become harder and clogged than those going into our right arm.
In a study, researchers found a large difference of 15 mmHg or more in the blood pressure readings between both arms, which increased the chances of peripheral vascular disease or narrowing the arteries by 2.5 times. The difference between 10 to 15 mmHg also raised the possibility of heart disease by 60%.
Which Arm Is Best for Taking Blood Pressure?
According to the doctor, our heart is situated comparatively on the left side, and the major blood veins and aortas outflow and circularise the blood throughout the body. Conventionally, health practitioners refer to measure the blood pressure on the left hand. There is another reason they prefer to measure BP on the left hand is that blood pressure readings always show somewhat higher on the right hand than on the left hand, and it causes a bad impact on the patients.
However, measuring blood pressure on both hands is not a big issue. Patients can measure their blood pressure on any arm they like. But they have to remember to take the measurement on the same hand every time. Taking BP readings on the same arm every time helps patients record their blood pressure data and analyze it accordingly. It can be very helpful to track down the risk of different health problems and heart issues.
It is also very dangerous to have a constant and immense difference between the two arms’ BP readings. Doctors recommend taking both arms’ readings every once in a while and recording them. If the readings between those arms show a constant and huge difference, they advise going to the nearest healthcare providers and checking their heart conditions to ensure that they are risk-free from any heart problems and other health issues.
Does Arm Position Affect Blood Pressure?
As we can see, the difference in our blood pressure readings in the different arms and our arm and overall hand positions also impact the blood pressure result. While doing the measurement, it is recommended not to move and correctly position the arm for accurate measurement. Often, it has been seen that even if patients are using a good blood pressure monitor their blood pressure measurements are not accurate because of the hand position during the time of the measurement. Doctors found that blood pressure monitors show elevated results while the hand rests on a chair at the time of the measurement.
What is the Correct Arm Position for Taking Blood Pressure?
As we discussed earlier, to get accurate results from a blood pressure monitoring machine, it is essential to place our hands in the correct position. Doctors and healthcare providers advise keeping the hand straight and the palm upward. The arm should be rested on a table for accurate measurement. Ensure not to bend the arm while taking the measurement; otherwise, it will result in elevated systolic and diastolic readings.
Other studies have also shown that keeping your arm at your heart level is the perfect position for accurate results. On the other hand, patients who have kept their measuring arm lower than their heart level faced high blood pressure readings, and the same patients who have kept their measuring arm higher than their heart level faced low BP readings.
Even if the arm is in a parallel position with the body and straight, the reading is about 10% elevated compared to keeping the elbow bent at the correct angle with the body and, of course, at the level of the heart. So, the best practice considered is to keep the arm between these two positions, keeping the arm at our heart level and a little bit flexed.
HINGMED Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor Q06B
To ensure health safety and accurate readings HINGMED Q06B Home Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor is one of the best solutions. The device is known for its compactness and accuracy and is recommended by many doctors and health practitioners. As the device has no extra wire or tube with it, patients can measure their BP on the left or right arm comfortably. With a thick 360° freeware cuff, this lightweight device allows an easy and comfortable blood pressure measurement experience. Also, in terms of accuracy, the device is one of the renowned accurate blood pressure monitors with its’ remarkable ±3mmHg accuracy result. It helps patients keep track of their previous data and analyze them using the HINGMED BP App, allowing them to minimize their risk of having any cardiovascular issues in the future. To stay healthy and safe from any heart disease, there is no other option but to keep tracking blood pressure data and to get accurate and reliable BP data. HINGMED Q06B is the best option out there.