The Differences in the Measurements of Blood Pressure over BareVersus Sleeved Arm with Routine Clothing in Outdoor Patients

Authors

Abstract

Objective: To observe the differences in the measurements of the Blood pressure over the sleeved arm with routine clothing versus bare arm. To determine whether these differences were statistically significant in making clinical decisions for treatment of hypertension.

Methods

This prospective, Observational study was done in theAbbas Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) Muzaffarabad. 100 adult patients attending the medical OPD were included. The first measurement of the blood pressure was taken over the sleeved arm with cloths. For the second measurement, all extra cloths over the shirt (Shawls, Coats, sweaters) were removed and sleeve of the shirt was folded upward to expose the arm and then the Blood pressure was measured over the bare arm. The values were compared by the independent sample t-test and reliability was determined by Cronbach alpha with SPSS-23.

Results

 The Mean systolic Blood pressure with Sleeve was 122.62 mmHg (SD ±25.56) and without Sleeve it was120.25 mmHg (SD ±25.48). The mean difference of Blood pressure was 2.37 mmHg. The Mean Diastolic Blood pressure with Sleeve was 75.25 mmHg (SD ±14.20) and without Sleeve it was 75.96 mmHg (SD ±14.26). The mean difference of Blood pressure was 0.7 mmHg. When compared with the paired samples t-test the paired differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

  The measurement of Blood pressures is only slightly different over the sleeved arm as compared with the bare arm and these trivial differences have no impact in the management decisions of patients.

Keywords:

Hypertension, Blood pressure measurement, sleeved arm Blood pressure

Published

2023/06/02

Issue

Vol. VOLUME 4-ISSUE 2
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