Should you measure blood pressure in both arms?

Guidelines on hypertension (high blood pressure) generally recommend measurement of blood pressure in both arms in the initial visit. They also suggest that the arm with higher blood pressure recording should be used to record blood pressure in subsequent visits. It is often mentioned that there is a small difference in the blood pressure between the arms and usually it is the right arm blood pressure which is higher. Blood vessels to both arms arise from the largest blood vessel in the body supplying oxygenated blood known as aorta. The origin of the blood vessel to the right arm is in line with initial part of the aorta. It is presumed that the force of ejection of the left ventricle is conveyed more to the right arm blood vessel for this reason. Left ventricle is the lower muscular chamber of the heart which pumps blood to the whole body. When there is a significant difference in the blood pressure between the arms, this explanation is not enough. Partial obstruction to one blood vessel is an important reason for lower blood pressure in that arm. Obstruction of blood vessel in the arm is a pointer to disease of blood vessels elsewhere in the body. They are more prone to have heart attack and stroke (brain attack), due to disease of their blood vessels. Important risk factors for diseases of blood vessels are high blood pressure and sugar, high blood fat levels, overweight/obesity, and smoking. Advancing age, heredity and male gender are also risk factors for diseases of bl...
Source: Cardiophile MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs