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June 27
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MyKidneyDiseaseTeam

How accurate are wrist blood pressure monitors for people with kidney disease?

Wrist blood pressure monitors can be convenient, but they tend to be less accurate than upper arm monitors. This is especially important to keep in mind when managing kidney disease, since blood pressure directly affects kidney health.

Here are a Show Full Answer

How accurate are wrist blood pressure monitors for people with kidney disease?

Wrist blood pressure monitors can be convenient, but they tend to be less accurate than upper arm monitors. This is especially important to keep in mind when managing kidney disease, since blood pressure directly affects kidney health.

Here are a few things to know about wrist monitors:

- Position matters a lot — the wrist must be held at heart level for a more accurate reading, which can be tricky to get right every time
- Movement and stiffness can throw off the reading
- Upper arm monitors are generally considered the gold standard and are recommended by most healthcare providers

If low blood pressure is a concern, it's really worth discussing with your doctor or nephrologist. They can recommend the best monitoring method for your specific situation and help figure out what's causing the dip in blood pressure, since it can affect how well your kidneys function.

For the most reliable readings at home, an upper arm cuff monitor is usually the safer bet. 😊

June 27

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