taking blood pressure

Dear nurses....

Is there any differences between taking blood pressure on the right arm and the other arm?
Left arm is more accurate as it is closer to the heart.

Depends on your vascular system and diseases (steal syndrome, aaa, etc). Ideally, you should check bp on both arms.

I honestly don't know. I've worked almost every area of nursing, including CCU/ICU.If it were critically important that the BP be "that" accurate to within a few points, the patient would have an arterial line and or a Swan Ganz line. (I may be showing my age? Do they still use Swan Ganz lines?)I suppose in an ideal controlled situation the right or left arm could make a few points difference. I have seen much bigger problems with inaccurate BP's with nurses using cuff's too big or too small for the patient or the patient lying on their left or right side.Many things can affect the BP. Repeatedly taking it over and over in a short period of time on either arm will make a difference. The patient being stressed or in pain. So much can affect a BP. I just can't get excited over the right or left arm issue.

Quote from MAtoLVNLeft arm is more accurate as it is closer to the heart.

Things like PICC Lines, surgery on an arm etc all affect which side you do it on