Where should the center of the cuff be placed for upper-arm BP measurement?

• A. Over the brachial artery.
• B. Over the radial artery.
• C. Over the ulnar artery.
• D. Over the femoral artery.

Answer: (B)

Center the cuff directly over the brachial artery. This artery runs along the inner upper arm near the elbow, and placing the inflatable bladder centered over it ensures the pressure you measure reflects the arterial pressure in that arm. If the cuff were centered over forearm vessels such as the radial or ulnar arteries, you wouldn’t be compressing the main artery used to generate the arm’s blood pressure, leading to inaccurate readings. The femoral artery is located in the groin and is not used for upper-arm BP measurement. So positioning the cuff over the brachial artery gives the most accurate, representative reading.