1
Prepare the patient
Have the patient seated or supported, relaxed for a few minutes, feet flat if possible, and the arm supported at heart level.
Picture guide
Where do the cuff and stethoscope go?
For routine manual blood pressure measurement, the upper arm is the go-to location. Most beginners should master upper-arm brachial technique first.
Skill steps
Manual blood pressure: a clean beginner sequence
2
Choose the right cuff
Use a cuff that fits the arm. Too small often reads falsely high; too large can read falsely low.
3
Place the cuff
Wrap it snugly on the upper arm, about 1 inch above the antecubital crease, with the artery marker over the brachial artery.
4
Inflate, then deflate slowly
Inflate above the expected systolic pressure, then release pressure at about 2–3 mmHg per second while listening.
5
Hear the systolic
The first clear Korotkoff sound is the systolic pressure.
6
Hear the diastolic
The point where the sounds disappear is the diastolic pressure in most routine adult measurements.
Interactive where-to-listen guide
Which site are you using?
Tap a button to learn what each site is commonly used for.
Brachial artery: the usual manual BP site
For most manual blood pressures, wrap the cuff on the upper arm and place the stethoscope over the brachial artery just medial to the antecubital crease.
Tip: This is the standard site to teach and practice first.
Arrange the steps
Step-order practice
Move each step into the lower row in the order you would perform it. Click a chip again to move it back.
Available steps
Your sequence
Practice
Go straight to your simulators
Document the pressure as systolic/diastolic, plus any useful context: arm used, patient position, manual vs automatic, and whether the reading felt difficult to obtain.