Skip to content

11/13/24, 7\:06 PM Guide | Lying and standing blood pressure

Lying and standing blood pressure

Table of contents
/
0\:00 4\:00

Gather equipment

Gather the relevant equipment for measuring lying and standing blood pressure\:
Stethoscope
Sphygmomanometer\: ensure you have an appropriately sized cu

Introduction

Wash your hands and don PPE if appropriate.
Introduce yourself to the patient, including your name and role.
Con
Brie
" T o d a y , I w o u l d l i k e t o m e a s u r e y o u r b l o o d
p r e s s u r e , b o t h w h e n y o u a r e l y i n g d o w n a n d w h e n y o u s t a n d u p . T h i s w i l l h e l p u s d e t e c t i f y o u r b l o o d p r e s s u r e d r o p s t o o l o w
w h e n y o u s t a n d . I w i l l
y o u r b l o o d p r e s s u r e a g a i n . P l e a s e l e t m e k n o w i f y o u e x p e r i e n c e a n y s y m p t o m s , s u c h a s d i z z i n e s s , l i g h t h e a d e d n e s s o r v i s u a l
d i s t u r b a n c e s . I f y o u w a n t m e t o s t o p a t a n y p o i n t , j u s t l e t m e k n o w .
"
Gain consent to proceed with lying and standing blood pressure measurement.
Ask the patient to lie on the examination couch for at least

Lying blood pressure

https\://app.geekymedics.com/osce-guides/clinical-examination/lying-and-standing-blood-pressure/ 1/511/13/24, 7\:06 PM Guide | Lying and standing blood pressure

Attach the blood pressure cu

1. Check that the blood pressure cu
2. Con
epicondyle of the humerus
3. Wrap the blood pressure cu
Wrap the blood pressure cu

Estimate an approximate systolic blood pressure

To begin with, you need to determine an approximate systolic blood pressure. This helps prevent over-tightening of the cu
during the accurate measurement of blood pressure.
1. Ensure the valve on the blood pressure cu
2. Palpate the patient’s radial pulse, located at the radial side of the wrist, with the tips of your index and middle
longitudinally over the course of the artery
3. In
sphygmomanometer at the point at which the radial pulse becomes impalpable. This reading is an approximate estimate of
the patient's systolic blood pressure.
4. Open the valve and de
https\://app.geekymedics.com/osce-guides/clinical-examination/lying-and-standing-blood-pressure/ 2/511/13/24, 7\:06 PM Guide | Lying and standing blood pressure
In

Measure the blood pressure accurately

Now that you have an approximate systolic pressure, you can accurately assess systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
1. Close the valve on the blood pressure cu
2. Position the diaphragm of your stethoscope over the brachial artery
3. Re-in
4. Then slowly de
5. Using your stethoscope, listen carefully for the onset of a pulsatile noise. The

pressure.
6. Continue de

https\://app.geekymedics.com/osce-guides/clinical-examination/lying-and-standing-blood-pressure/ 3/511/13/24, 7\:06 PM Guide | Lying and standing blood pressure
Position the stethoscope over the brachial artery

Standing blood pressure

1. Ask the patient to stand and inform you if they experience any symptoms (e.g. dizziness, light-headedness, visual
disturbance)
2. Measure the blood pressure within the
technique as before
3. Measure the blood pressure after three minutes of standing
4. If blood pressure is dropping, continue to repeat the blood pressure measurements
5. Remove the blood pressure cu
https\://app.geekymedics.com/osce-guides/clinical-examination/lying-and-standing-blood-pressure/ 4/511/13/24, 7\:06 PM Guide | Lying and standing blood pressure
Source\: geekymedics.com
https\://app.geekymedics.com/osce-guides/clinical-examination/lying-and-standing-blood-pressure/ 5/5