Via practica 3/2012

Blood pressure measurement and morphologic arm structure

Important differences in the results of auscultatory and oscillometric blood pressure measurement in active and sedentary population led us to the idea of the influence of tissue, which is the brachial artery compressed across. We investigated possible influence of morphological structure of an arm on the accuracy of indirect blood pressure measurement using an artificial model. We experimented with an artificial model of arm, consisted of glass paper-weight, infusion set and insulating material. Measurements were performed by an aneroid tonometer. Results of the measurements testified, that the thicker stripe of the insulating material between the cuff and the tubing is, the higher pressure is needed to stop the liquid dripping. We performed the studies on three groups of subjects – the first group was composed of 10 subjects with hypertrophic arm muscles and second of 10 subjects with normotrophic arm muscles. In the third group, there were randomly chosen healthy sportsmen, that took part in the regular sports check-up (n = 48 subjects). In the first and second group we investigated the influence of the FFM (fat free mass) value of an arm on the results of the auscultatory and oscillometric blood pressure measurements. The third group presented the influence of the arm volume on the results of auscultatory and oscillometric blood pressure measurements. We proved that the systolic blood pressure measurements depend on the volume of an arm and on the FFM value. Diastolic blood pressure measurement is independent on the arm volume and FFM value respectively. The values of the systolic blood pressure measurement increase with the increased volume of an arm and with increased FFM value.

Keywords: indirect blood pressure measurement, arm soft tissue, pseudohypertension.