[Practical conducting of blood pressure measuring. Important contributing factors and possibilities of errors]

Studies have shown that both laypersons and doctors and medical staff have insufficient knowledge of the proper handling of blood pressure measurement. The resulting deviations in the measured values are of a diagnostically relevant order of magnitude capable of leading, for example, to an erraneous diagnosis of hypertension. Some of the factors frequently receiving too little attention are, for example, the use of an inappropriate cuff size, failure to ensure that the patient is adequately rested, and inappropriate positioning of the arm during measurement. Attention is drawn to the recommendations of the various hypertension societies.