The Different Measurement Methods – Wrist or Upper Arm?

Blood pressure can be measured on the upper arm or wrist. The measurement results are – as various tests show – just as reliable when measured by either method. However, with increasing age, the blood vessels can narrow due to deposits or harden due to arteriosclerosis. This particularly affects the wrist arteries, which are further from the heart, making precise measurement more difficult. Older people and smokers should therefore take measurements on the upper arm. Wrist devices are unsuitable for patients with diabetes, as the arteries may be calcified or porous.