Does cuff size affect blood pressure readings?

Answer From Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D.

Using a blood pressure cuff that's too large or too small can give you blood pressure readings that are not accurate. Your health care provider's office should have several sizes of cuffs to ensure an accurate blood pressure reading.

When you measure your blood pressure at home, it's important to use the proper size cuff. Here are some tips to help you get the right size.

  • Cuff length: The inflatable part of the blood pressure cuff should cover about 75% to 100% of the distance around your upper arm.
  • Cuff width: The cuff should be wide enough to cover from 40% to 80% of the distance from your elbow to your shoulder.

If you're concerned about the size of your cuff or your blood pressure readings, talk to your health care provider. You may need to have your blood pressure taken several times during your appointment using the same, properly sized cuff on the same arm. An average of these blood pressure readings should give your "true" blood pressure for that visit.

If your provider asks you to check your blood pressure at home, take two blood pressure readings each time you check. Wait one minute between the two readings. Write down your results and bring them to your next appointment.

With

Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

April 13, 2023 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Medication-free hypertension control
  2. Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
  3. Alpha blockers
  4. Amputation and diabetes
  5. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  6. Angiotensin II receptor blockers
  7. Anxiety: A cause of high blood pressure?
  8. Arteriosclerosis / atherosclerosis
  9. Artificial sweeteners: Any effect on blood sugar?
  10. AskMayoMom Pediatric Urology
  11. Beta blockers
  12. Beta blockers: Do they cause weight gain?
  13. Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise?
  14. Birth control pill FAQ
  15. Blood glucose meters
  16. Blood glucose monitors
  17. Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm?
  18. Blood pressure chart
  19. Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?
  20. Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather?
  21. Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight?
  22. Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides?
  23. Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?
  24. Blood pressure test
  25. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate for many reasons
  26. Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how
  27. Bone and joint problems associated with diabetes
  28. How kidneys work
  29. Bump on the head: When is it a serious head injury?
  30. Caffeine and hypertension
  31. Calcium channel blockers
  32. Calcium supplements: Do they interfere with blood pressure drugs?
  33. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  34. Central-acting agents
  35. Choosing blood pressure medicines
  36. Chronic daily headaches
  37. Chronic kidney disease
  38. Chronic kidney disease: Is a clinical trial right for me?
  39. Coarctation of the aorta
  40. COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
  41. Cushing syndrome
  42. DASH diet
  43. DASH diet: Recommended servings
  44. Sample DASH menus
  45. Diabetes
  46. Diabetes and depression: Coping with the two conditions
  47. Diabetes and exercise: When to monitor your blood sugar
  48. Diabetes and heat
  49. 10 ways to avoid diabetes complications
  50. Diabetes diet: Should I avoid sweet fruits?
  51. Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan
  52. Diabetes foods: Can I substitute honey for sugar?
  53. Diabetes and liver
  54. Diabetes management: How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar
  55. Diabetes symptoms
  56. Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
  57. Using insulin
  58. Diuretics
  59. Diuretics: A cause of low potassium?
  60. Diuretics: Cause of gout?
  61. Dizziness
  62. Do infrared saunas have any health benefits?
  63. Drug addiction (substance use disorder)
  64. Eating right for chronic kidney disease
  65. High blood pressure and exercise
  66. Fibromuscular dysplasia
  67. Free blood pressure machines: Are they accurate?
  68. Home blood pressure monitoring
  69. Glomerulonephritis
  70. Glycemic index: A helpful tool for diabetes?
  71. Guillain-Barre syndrome
  72. Headaches and hormones
  73. Headaches: Treatment depends on your diagnosis and symptoms
  74. Heart and Blood Health
  75. Herbal supplements and heart drugs
  76. High blood pressure (hypertension)
  77. High blood pressure and cold remedies: Which are safe?
  78. High blood pressure and sex
  79. High blood pressure dangers
  80. How does IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease) cause kidney damage?
  81. How opioid use disorder occurs
  82. How to tell if a loved one is abusing opioids
  83. What is hypertension? A Mayo Clinic expert explains.
  84. Hypertension FAQs
  85. Hypertensive crisis: What are the symptoms?
  86. Hypothermia
  87. I have IgA nephrology. Will I need a kidney transplant?
  88. IgA nephropathy (Berger disease)
  89. Insulin and weight gain
  90. Intracranial hematoma
  91. Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern?
  92. What is kidney disease? An expert explains
  93. Kidney disease FAQs
  94. Kratom: Unsafe and ineffective
  95. Kratom for opioid withdrawal
  96. L-arginine: Does it lower blood pressure?
  97. Late-night eating: OK if you have diabetes?
  98. Lead poisoning
  99. Living with IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease) and C3G
  100. Low-phosphorus diet: Helpful for kidney disease?
  101. Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure
  102. Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection?
  103. Molar pregnancy
  104. MRI: Is gadolinium safe for people with kidney problems?
  105. New Test for Preeclampsia
  106. Nighttime headaches: Relief
  107. Nosebleeds
  108. Obstructive sleep apnea
  109. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  110. Opioid stewardship: What is it?
  111. Pain Management
  112. Pheochromocytoma
  113. Picnic Problems: High Sodium
  114. Pituitary tumors
  115. Polycystic kidney disease
  116. Polypill: Does it treat heart disease?
  117. Poppy seed tea: Beneficial or dangerous?
  118. Porphyria
  119. Postpartum preeclampsia
  120. Preeclampsia
  121. Prescription drug abuse
  122. Primary aldosteronism
  123. Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health?
  124. Mayo Clinic Minute: Rattlesnakes, scorpions and other desert dangers
  125. Reactive hypoglycemia: What can I do?
  126. Renal diet for vegetarians
  127. Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?
  128. Scorpion sting
  129. Secondary hypertension
  130. Serotonin syndrome
  131. Sleep deprivation: A cause of high blood pressure?
  132. Sleep tips
  133. Snoring
  134. Sodium
  135. Spider bites
  136. Stress and high blood pressure
  137. Symptom Checker
  138. Takayasu's arteritis
  139. Tapering off opioids: When and how
  140. Tetanus
  141. Tetanus shots: Is it risky to receive 'extra' boosters?
  142. The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
  143. Understanding complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G)
  144. Understanding IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease)
  145. Vasodilators
  146. Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes?
  147. Vesicoureteral reflux
  148. Video: Heart and circulatory system
  149. How to measure blood pressure using a manual monitor
  150. How to measure blood pressure using an automatic monitor
  151. Obstructive sleep apnea: What happens?
  152. What is blood pressure?
  153. Can a lack of vitamin D cause high blood pressure?
  154. What are opioids and why are they dangerous?
  155. White coat hypertension
  156. Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate?
  157. Xylazine
  158. Effectively managing chronic kidney disease
  159. Mayo Clinic Minute: Do not share pain medication
  160. Mayo Clinic Minute: Avoid opioids for chronic pain
  161. Mayo Clinic Minute: Be careful not to pop pain pills
  162. Mayo Clinic Minute: Out of shape kids and diabetes