Which arm should you use to measure your blood pressure?
You should use the arm that shows the higher readings in comparison measurements. To find out which arm gives higher values especially when high blood pressure is being diagnosed for the first time measure several times on both arms so you can use the arm with the higher readings for future measurements.
Differences between the two arms are usually due to different muscle mass or higher muscle tension in one arm.
Differences of up to 10 mmHg in the systolic (upper) value are still considered normal. If the values differ by more than 10 mmHg, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) may be the cause. In that case, the arteries that carry blood to the arms and legs are narrowed. The advanced stage of the disease is known as "intermittent claudication" (also called "shopwindow disease"). Because walking becomes painful, affected people often stop to rest repeatedly and sometimes look at shop windows during those breaks.
If the differences are greater than 15 mmHg, the risk of having a cerebrovascular condition (a disease affecting the brains blood vessels) also increases by about 60 percent.
So if you repeatedly notice differences of more than 10 mmHg between your arms during home comparison measurements, please discuss this with your doctor. They can decide whether further investigation is necessary.
In BloodPressureDB you can record the measurement site (right/left wrist or right/left upper arm). A statistics view then shows average values separately for each measurement site.
Sources:
This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 11/2025).
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
We hope you found the article helpful. Accurate measurements are essential for good blood pressure control. Our app BloodPressureDB can help with that. Clear instructions walk you through taking measurements according to current guidelines.
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