Blood pressures post op

[YA4US4]

Hi-I have a query. i was told that if a patient post op has low blood pressure, the cuff should be on the arm the patient is lying on-that way the pressure will be better-I was always taught not to do it on that arm. Plus, if the BP is low it is ok as the patient still sedated-low being about 90/50

[CIRQL8]

First of all - you want an ACCURATE BP!! Not an artificial one to give you the reading that you want - that would not benefit the patient, and possibly even lead to harm. I was taught never to take a BP on the same arm more than twice in a row without at least a little rest... At least the automatic cuffs will give a 3 or more minute rest between takes (depending on the user settings). Seems to be quite accurate during a procedure anyway.

I have not heard of taking a BP on one arm vs. another, except if nodes have been removed from an axilla, to use the contralateral arm. I wonder if the patient has been lying on a certain arm if that would increase the pressure to that arm?? Anyone know? Or want to try?! :)

[NPinWCH]

I think what YA4US4 is saying is that someone told her to take the pressure in the arm the pt is still lying on. The only thing this will do is artificially increase the BP. The external pressure from the pt's weight and the bed will increase the pressure needed to pump up the cuff which will skew the results higher. Its like putting a tournaquit around the BP cuff and then pumping it up.

The more accurate BP would be the arm not being compressed.