harley
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I have often found that nurses in the Dr's office sometimes do not use good technique when checking BP and will allow a patients arm to be hang down instead of being supported out in front. I believe that can effect the readings. Also, when you are sitting there getting checked, keep both feet flat on the floor.
If you have a home BP measurement device, then you can check if these ideas make a difference. For most people and their BP readings, they will make virtually no difference. You can see this yourself.
We spent 3 1/2 hours today in an urgent care clinic, due to DW having some issues. During the visit the nurse took her BP with her arm hanging down on her lap. It was 158/89. We both protested, because the highest either of us has ever seen her have was around 130/80, and that was when she was having an asthma attack. She's usually in the 1teens/60s or so. So the nurse took it again a couple minutes later, with her arm resting on a platform about even with her heart. That's the only thing that changed, and her new reading was 123/76.
So it appears it can make a fairly significant difference.