International journal of nursing studies
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison study of upper arm and forearm non-invasive blood pressures in adult Emergency Department patients.
Forearm blood pressures have been suggested as an alternative site to measure blood pressures when the upper arm is unavailable. However there is little evidence utilising clinical populations to support this substitution. ⋯ Forearm measures cannot routinely replace upper arm measures for blood pressure measurement. If the clinical picture requires use of forearm blood pressure, the potential variance from an upper arm measure is ±19 mmHg for systolic pressure, although the variability may be close to ±10 mmHg if the systolic blood pressure is below 140 mmHg.