How should the cuff be placed on the arm relative to the brachial artery?

• A. Cuff bladder centered over the brachial artery, with the artery running through the middle of the cuff
• B. Cuff placed above the shoulder
• C. Cuff placed below the elbow with the artery not aligned
• D. Cuff placed inside the forearm

Answer: (A)

The cuff should be centered over the brachial artery so that the artery runs through the middle of the cuff’s bladder. This placement ensures the artery is compressed evenly as the cuff inflates, so the pressure transmitted to the artery matches the cuff pressure consistently. That uniform occlusion is what lets you accurately hear the Korotkoff sounds and determine true systolic and diastolic values. If the cuff is off-center or positioned away from the arm’s usual location (for example, above the shoulder, below the elbow with the artery not aligned, or on the forearm), the artery isn’t compressed uniformly, leading to unreliable and inaccurate readings.