Arm posture can swing blood pressure readings, study finds

A Johns Hopkins study shows that subtle arm-position changes during BP testing—such as dangling or resting on a desk—can raise readings by several mmHg, potentially moving a diagnosis from “elevated” to “stage 2.” Desk-level arm support and alignment with heart height yield the most accurate results. The findings highlight the need for proper posture in clinics and at home, with guidelines from the American Heart Association and ongoing efforts to reduce misdiagnosis and unnecessary prescriptions.