Can You Take Blood Pressure Over Clothing?
Blood pressure is one of the most important vital signs commonly used to assess a person’s health. Doctors usually take a person’s blood pressure by strapping a cuff around the arm, below the elbow. This cuff is then inflated and deflated as they check the pressure inside and outside the person’s arteries. However, can we take a person’s blood pressure without needing to take off the clothing and directly expose the skin?
Traditional Blood Pressure Cuffs
Traditional blood pressure cuffs are an accurate and commonly used method to measure a person’s blood pressure. The cuff is strapped around the upper arm and the pressure is obtained as the cuff is inflated and deflated. This is considered a very accurate method and is also the easiest and most common.
Blood Pressure Over Clothing
Measuring blood pressure over clothing is possible, however, it is not a recommended method due to the decreased accuracy. In order to obtain an accurate reading, the cuff should be pressed directly against the skin. If it is pressed against clothing, the reading obtained will not be accurate and could lead to errors in diagnosis and treatment.
Advantages
Despite not being recommended, there are certain circumstances where taking blood pressure over clothing could be beneficial. For example:
- Elderly/Children: For elderly people and young children with more delicate skin, pressing a cuff directly against bare skin can be uncomfortable. Therefore, in order to obtain a reading, taking blood pressure over clothing could be less uncomfortable.
- Shy People: Some people could be shy and uncomfortable with taking their blood pressure directly on their skin, and blood pressure over clothing could provide a more comfortable option.
Conclusion
Whilst taking blood pressure over clothing is possible and could be beneficial in certain circumstances, it is not recommended due to the decrease in accuracy. If you need to take someone’s blood pressure, it is important to place the cuff directly against their skin for the best and most accurate readings.