Blood Pressure: It’s what your left arm’s for
If you’re having your blood pressure taken, always present your left arm for the cuff. Blood pressure readings from the left arm are usually lower than from the right.
A new study has found that the difference can be as much as 3 mm Hg between the two arms in a healthy patient. The difference is much more significant if you have arterial disease.
It’s already established that blood pressure readings are higher in the morning, so go to the hospital in the afternoon, offer your left arm – and you should get that life insurance with no trouble at all.
(Source: Archives of Internal medicine, 2007; 167: 388-93).
E-news broadcast 26 April 2007 No.354 [
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