Blood pressures

[MariaCatEMT]

How frequently do any of you take blood pressures anywhere other than the upper arm? We have a "frequent-flyer" in our district that due to her size, I take it on her forearm. None of the other EMTs in my department are comfortable with this. I do it, because it's the only way I can obtain a read. Just curious.

 

[GraysonK]

As I understand it, you CAN take a blood pressure like that (Ive fiddled with it)

But I dont believe it scales itself the right way.

You can definitely determine things such as trends in the patient, but you cant scale those results to anything else, like checking blood pressure to give nitro for example.

Different arteries, different scale

 

[Guardian]

How frequently do any of you take blood pressures anywhere other than the upper arm? We have a "frequent-flyer" in our district that due to her size, I take it on her forearm. None of the other EMTs in my department are comfortable with this. I do it, because it's the only way I can obtain a read. Just curious.

They make large BP cuffs for this.

 

[Rangat]

According to a small research project, you can take radial BP without much deviation from the correct BP. It's more accurate than a tibial, or poplitial BP...

You can also use the flush technique to get a MAP.

 

[MariaCatEMT]

They make large BP cuffs for this.

The large BP cuff does NOT fit on her upper arm.

 

[MariaCatEMT]

According to a small research project, you can take radial BP without much deviation from the correct BP. It's more accurate than a tibial, or poplitial BP...

You can also use the flush technique to get a MAP.

Thanks, Rangat.

 

[fm_emt]

The large BP cuff does NOT fit on her upper arm.

:O Wow, this must be a.. uh.. patient of size.

I've never taken one on the radial pulse.

 

[MariaCatEMT]

:O Wow, this must be a.. uh.. patient of size.

I've never taken one on the radial pulse.

Well...true...she's girthy, but sweet as can be. I even held her hand a couple of times (gasps), because she was emotionally distressed.

 

[Ridryder911]

Blood pressures can be taken anywhere one can obtain a pulse point and place a sphygomometer on a extremity. Does one not take a B/P on a bi-lateral upper extremity amputee, or ones with trauma, burns, etc?

Be sure to adjust accordingly for pulse pressure and accommodation of position of extremity.

R/r 911

 

[Guardian]

The large BP cuff does NOT fit on her upper arm.

Then they make thigh BP Cuffs for these pts. If that won't fit on her arm, then she should just be happy she still has a BP and leave it at that.

P.S. I convinced they call them thigh cuffs only because they don't want to put "really really fat person cuff" on the label.

 

[Stevo]

i wonder if there's any carotid BP studies?

~S~

 

[Gents82]

So let me get this straight, thigh cuffs go over thigh and the stethoscope goes to the popiteal artery? Then for a forearm reading, take a normal sized bp cuff over the forearm and stethoscope goes to the radial artery?

 

[MariaCatEMT]

So let me get this straight, thigh cuffs go over thigh and the stethoscope goes to the popiteal artery? Then for a forearm reading, take a normal sized bp cuff over the forearm and stethoscope goes to the radial artery?

Yup, but I've never tried a thigh cuff, only upper arm and forearm.

 

[Ridryder911]

So let me get this straight, thigh cuffs go over thigh and the stethoscope goes to the popiteal artery? Then for a forearm reading, take a normal sized bp cuff over the forearm and stethoscope goes to the radial artery?

Sorry, this should had been well covered in your basic EMT class. Placement of stethoscope is put distal, of the artery or pulsation is noted from the cuff.. remember the cuff size, even on the arm is important. A too small cuff can produce a higher number of 20 -30 points, vice versa on large cuff...

R/r 911

 

[gradygirl]

So let me get this straight, thigh cuffs go over thigh and the stethoscope goes to the popiteal artery? Then for a forearm reading, take a normal sized bp cuff over the forearm and stethoscope goes to the radial artery?

Hey, great question. Our less than competent instructors never went over any other BP sites except upper arm and forearm-talked about the whole "by palp" thing-but never anything else.

And Rid, thanks for answering the question. I'll definitely ask you any other related questions if/when they arise.