To what pressure is the blood pressure cuff inflated when measuring resting blood pressure?

When measuring resting blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer, the blood pressure cuff is typically inflated to a value that is 20 to 30 mm Hg above the point at which the pulse can no longer be felt. This inflation level is crucial because it ensures that the cuff creates enough pressure to occlude the arterial blood flow in the arm, allowing for an accurate measurement of both systolic and diastolic pressures.

Once the cuff is inflated to this level, the examiner gradually releases the pressure. As the pressure decreases, the point at which blood starts to flow again is noted as the systolic pressure, while the point at which blood flows freely is recorded as the diastolic pressure. This method ensures that the measurement taken is reliable and that the blood flow is appropriately assessed.

Inflating the cuff to a specific pressure like 120 mm Hg or 80 mm Hg without referring to the palpable pulse would not account for variations in individual blood pressure, possibly resulting in inaccurate measurements. Similarly, inflating to the systolic pressure disregards the need to first occlude blood flow to establish a baseline for measurement. Thus, the practice of inflating the cuff to a point above the inaccessible pulse ensures that accurate readings can be obtained when measuring