To measure blood pressure, you need to inflate the cuff of the tonometer and clamp the artery. Sometimes there is so much calcium in the artery wall that it becomes hard. It is difficult to pinch such an artery. The cuff of the tonometer has to be inflated too much, and the result of blood pressure measurement becomes overestimated.
This story began in 1974, when an American grandfather was diagnosed with such high blood pressure that it could not be accurately measured.
Scientists quickly realized that the problem could be with the measurement method itself. Then the grandfather measured the pressure directly inside the artery on the arm. The pressure there was 130/57 millimeters of mercury. The x-ray showed that the brachial artery was covered with calcium. Scientists have called this phenomenon pseudohypertension.
It is important not to confuse pseudohypertension and white coat hypertension. In the second case, blood pressure actually jumps from one type of doctor.
Panic
The idea of pseudohypertension was seized upon, and at some point it was even said that about two-thirds of hypertensive men over 60 years of age had their blood pressure measured incorrectly.
Then they decided that such miracles are not very common. So there is no need to panic, but it is better to double-check the blood pressure on electronic devices and feel the systolic blood pressure with your fingers.
What other fingers?
This is a common thing. Before measuring blood pressure with a mechanical device, you need to understand to what extent to inflate the cuff. To do this, you must simultaneously feel the pulse and pump up.
Have you ever felt your pulse with a mechanical tonometer cuff on your shoulder?
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