Size Matters, at Least for Blood Pressure Cuffs

Clinical practice guidelines emphasize the importance of proper sizing of blood pressure (BP) cuffs (Hypertension 2019; 73:e35), but data on the actual effects of under- or over-cuffing are limited. In this study, investigators recruited 195 community-dwelling adults (mean age, 54; mean body-mass index, 29 kg/m²; half with hypertension) who underwent random BP determinations with BP cuffs that were too small, too large, or appropriate in size. The appropriate cuff size was determined by measuring arm circumference at the midpoint between the acromion and olecranon and using standard manufacturer instructions for a small (20–25 cm), regular (25.1–32 cm), large (32.1–40 cm) or extra-large cuff (40.1–55 cm). An automated oscillometric device w…