Bilateral Simultaneous Sphygmomanometry

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Abstract
A series of 30 normal persons and four patients with proved subclavian steal were studied by use of a standard exercise test and an instrument devised by us for measuring blood pressure in the two arms simultaneously. No significant differences were found in the blood pressures in the arms of the normal persons in the base-line or exercise state, but in the patients with subclavian steal, exercise of the involved limb produced rapid fatigue and always reduced the blood pressure on the involved side. In one case, pulse pressure was lost completely so that there was no detectable blood pressure. In these four cases the radial pulse which had been palpable [see table in the PDF file] before the exercise test was either absent or barely palpable, and a definite pulse delay was detected on the involved side. The exercise test may serve to accentuate borderline differences in blood pressure and substantiate a clinical diagnosis of subclavian steal.