Things You'll Need:
- Stethoscope
- Blood Pressure (BP) cuff
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Step 1
It is always best to put the blood pressure cuff on the right arm or the dominate arm.
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Step 2
Some BP (Blood Pressure) cuffs have a sign on it with an arrow that says "Artery" and you want to line that up with the crease on the inner elbow. You should feel around the crease of the inner elbow with your pointer and middle finger to feel for a pulsing sensation. If you find one- place the disk of your stethoscope there. If you cannot feel anything, which is also normal, don't worry. Place the stethoscope on the inter crease anyway.
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Step 3
After the BP cuff is properly on the arm, make sure that your "pumper" is closed. To help you remember which way is open and which way is closed remember: "Righty tighty; lefty loosey".
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Step 4
On average you should pump up the bladder of the cuff to about 180-200. If the person knows that they have high BP then you can pump it up to about 220-240. (Any higher than that then they person should seek medical attention.)
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Step 5
Say that the person in question has an average BP normally; Pump the cuff up to 180 and slowly release the knob on the pumper.
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Step 6
Listen for the first pulsing sound you hear; that would be your top number; or your systolic number. Ex. 124
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Step 7
Keep listening; and when the pulsing sound goes away that is your bottom number; or your diastolic number. Ex. 84
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Step 8
That means that your BP reading is 124/84 which is considered normal.
