But after a second check from the blood pressure machine, and taking his own blood pressure at home, it had returned to much more acceptable levels. At the hospital, his first blood pressure cuff had been too small, and it was changed only at his request. Now, a new clinical trial highlights how much an improperly sized blood pressure cuff can distort blood pressure readings taken by automated blood pressure devices. But frequently, only regular-sized cuffs are used to take someone’s blood pressure, even though clinical guidelines recommend using cuffs suited for a person’s arm circumference. Either way, experts say, a one-size-fits-all approach can skew blood pressure readings, interfering with core metrics that doctors use to monitor and treat heart conditions.

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Persons: Georges Benjamin, Benjamin, ”, “, Benjamin said, Tammy Brady, ” Brady, Brady, Dr, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, American Public Health Association, Johns Hopkins University, Get CNN, CNN Health Locations: Baltimore