Both Arms Should be Used for Measuring Blood Pressure

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm of mercury. The former is referred to as the systolic blood pressure. The latter is the diastolic blood pressure. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 is considered as a situation of hypertension. Hypertension increases the risk for heart disease, stroke and dementia.

Usually, only one arm is used for measuring the blood pressure. A recent report suggests that both arms should be used for measuring the blood pressure and the difference between the systolic pressures obtained from both the arms can be a useful index for heart disease risk.