International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-780200201403071720EN20140307<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><div>Errors in blood pressure (BP) measurement are common in the clinical practice. Inaccurate measurements of BP may lead to misdiagnosis</div> <div>and inappropriate treatment of hypertension. The preferred method of BP measurement in the clinical setting is a scultation, using the first and <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;">the </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;">fi</span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;">fth Korotkoff sounds. However, the use of mercury <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;">sphygmomanometer is declining. Automated oscillometric devices <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;">are an acceptable alternative method of BP measurements if the <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;">proper cuff size is used. Aneroid devices are suitable, but they require frequent calibration. There is increasing evidence that home readings predict cardiovascular events and are particularly useful for monitoring the effects of treatment. At 24 h ambulatory monitoring <span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;">is also useful for diagnosing white-coat hypertension and resistance hypertension. There is increasing evidence that lack of nocturnal BP dipping during the night may be associated with increased cardiovascular event. This report attempts to address the need for accurate BP measurements in children and adolescents by reducing human and equipment errors and providing clinicians with the accurate measurement of BP, which is essential to classify individuals, to ascertain BP-related CV risks and to guide management.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><strong><span style="font-family: Garamond-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond-Bold; font-size: small;"><p>Keywords: Blood pressure measurement, children, method, pitfalls</p></span></span></strong><p><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"> </span></span></div></span></span><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"> <div></div><div></div><strong><span style="font-family: Garamond-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond-Bold; font-size: small;"><div>Keywords:</div></span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Garamond-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond-Bold; font-size: small;"><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"> pressure measurement, children, method, </span></span></div></span></span><span style="font-family: Garamond-Bold; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Garamond-Bold; font-size: small;"><div><div></div></div></span></span><div><div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: small;"></span></div></span></span>http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/1347http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/1347/1373