1. Patient preparation:
The patient should sit quietly for 5 minutes with the back and arms supported and the arms at heart level.
Avoid consuming caffeine or alcohol within 30 minutes before the measurement.
2. Cuff:
Wrap the cuff around the patient's upper arm, making sure the cuff tube is on the inside of the arm, near the elbow.
The cuff should fit snugly against the skin but not too tight or too loose.
3. Stethoscope:
Place the probe of the stethoscope over the brachial artery pulse at the elbow.
Begin to inflate until the sound in the stethoscope disappears, then continue to inflate by 20-30 mmHg.
4. Deflate:
Deflate slowly, at a rate of about 2-3 mmHg/second.
Listen carefully for Korotkoff sounds and record the first sound heard (systolic pressure) and the reading when the sound disappears (diastolic pressure).
5. Record:
Record two readings: systolic pressure (the highest pressure when the heart contracts) and diastolic pressure (the lowest pressure when the heart relaxes).
