blood pressure cuff on fistula arm

[texasstyle]

If the cuff is up over the higher arm and your fistual is on the lower arm, what's the reason for caution on that arm. because the BP cuff cuts  off the blood flow temporarily for a few seconds or something? i always wondered about that. i can see not putting it directly on fistula Hhmmmm...

[jbeany]

Just not worth the risk, is all.  No, it might not hurt it.  But for the 5 seconds it takes for the nurse to walk to the other side of the hospital bed, is it worth risking another surgery and losing an access spot?  Those are a limited commodity, which makes them very, very valuable.

[RichardMEL]

NO BAD NEVER BAD BAD BAD BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A cuff should NEVER be on the fistula arm. Compression on the blood vessels is bad karma and shouldn't be done.

[okarol]

I agree. Pamper the fistula arm!

[Des]

The pressure that the arm is under during the taking of the BP can rupture or tear a fistula. That is why you need to take care of the arm with the fistula by not picking up something heavy or pressing on the fistula.

[silverhead]

Think about it, quite often when a nurse cannot "find" a vein during a blood draw they put a tourniquet on the upper arm, then the veins usually "Pop" out, You definitely do not need that to happen to the Fistula......

[Zach]

The only cuff one should wear are french cuffs.   

[sullidog]

I had a friend do that and the buzzing stopped the bp from reading.
Troy

[PVUgrad]

I couldn't believe it. My husband had his first dialysis treatment today, was returned to his room, (he is in the hospital) and the nurse took his BP on his fistula arm!! As I walked in, I about had a heart attack!! I just pray she didn't so any damage to it. 

[natnnnat]

Gah!  Jeez! 
Did you say anything?
ps:  love your signature.  Currently, I am the bug. 

[carol1987]

I couldn't believe it. My husband had his first dialysis treatment today, was returned to his room, (he is in the hospital) and the nurse took his BP on his fistula arm!! As I walked in, I about had a heart attack!! I just pray she didn't so any damage to it. 

Don't they but a bracelet on with a warning not to take BP or draw blood in that arm?  Everytme I have been in the hospital they have put a bright pink bracelet on my fistula arm with the warning in BOLD writing!!

Ask your hospital why they don't use those....

[Stoday]

Don't they but a bracelet on with a warning not to take BP or draw blood in that arm?  Everytme I have been in the hospital they have put a bright pink bracelet on my fistula arm with the warning in BOLD writing!!

My local hospital in the UK does exactly the same, plus a notice over my bed.

I couldn't believe it. My husband had his first dialysis treatment today, was returned to his room, (he is in the hospital) and the nurse took his BP on his fistula arm!! As I walked in, I about had a heart attack!! I just pray she didn't so any damage to it. 

You do live in Georgia, USA and not Georgia Europe? 

[brandi1leigh]

I couldn't believe it. My husband had his first dialysis treatment today, was returned to his room, (he is in the hospital) and the nurse took his BP on his fistula arm!! As I walked in, I about had a heart attack!! I just pray she didn't so any damage to it. 

Don't they but a bracelet on with a warning not to take BP or draw blood in that arm?  Everytme I have been in the hospital they have put a bright pink bracelet on my fistula arm with the warning in BOLD writing!!

Ask your hospital why they don't use those....

I live in Texas and they never put a don't use bracelet on my fistula. My mom and I have to very vigilant to make sure they don't use that arm. But I love the idea of a bracelet. I might make one myself the next time I go to the the hospital.

[greg10]

You should not put an arm-cuff blood pressure monitor on a fistula arm.  However a wrist-cuff blood pressure monitor is pretty safe unless your fistula is actually near the wrist area.  The pressure applied is over a much smaller area with the wrist-cuff than the arm-cuff.  Wrist-cuff BP monitor can be accurate if used properly and they are quite portable such that you can bring your own and not share one with the other patients who used it at the dialysis center.  One should always be wary of possible MSRA transmission through any means, including any object you come into prolong contact at the dialysis center.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzoueoXTRFs

Wrist-cuff monitors are usually factory set up to use the left wrist, however most of them can also be reprogrammed to use the right wrist.

[kitkatz]

I couldn't believe it. My husband had his first dialysis treatment today, was returned to his room, (he is in the hospital) and the nurse took his BP on his fistula arm!! As I walked in, I about had a heart attack!! I just pray she didn't so any damage to it. 

You need to talk to the nursing coordinator on the floor NOW!  A sign should be over the bed saying not to do anything on that fistula arm!  Oh my God! 

[PVUgrad]

I couldn't believe it. My husband had his first dialysis treatment today, was returned to his room, (he is in the hospital) and the nurse took his BP on his fistula arm!! As I walked in, I about had a heart attack!! I just pray she didn't so any damage to it. 

You need to talk to the nursing coordinator on the floor NOW!  A sign should be over the bed saying not to do anything on that fistula arm!  Oh my God! 

There was a sign! When I walked in I was like "Get that off" and pointed at the sign. Her reply was, "Oh I didn't look up there (over his head).
I agree, I like the idea of a bracelet, just like they do for allergic to some meds. But folks, this is a VA hospital....

[Riki]

they put a sign over the bed at the hospital I go to as well.  I was always very vigilant when it came to protecting my fistula when I was a kid, even though it was never used.  I'm even more so now, because it is my life line...

[Mizar]

My Husband wears a Med Alert Bracelet. I had it Engraved on the Back " NO BP IN LEFT ARM "  Whenever he has been Admitted, to the Hospital, before I leave, I find His Nurse and tell Her, " I want a Sign, over His Bed, saying, No BP or Sticks in Left Arm "  If a Sign, like that is not Noticed, then Someone, is not doing Their Job.

[natnnnat]

I've heard the following suggestion for when people with fistulas go into any kind of surgery:  get a felt tipped pen (e.g. surgical pen) and write on his arm:  No BP this arm.
Might be an idea here?

[PVUgrad]

My Husband wears a Med Alert Bracelet. I had it Engraved on the Back " NO BP IN LEFT ARM "  Whenever he has been Admitted, to the Hospital, before I leave, I find His Nurse and tell Her, " I want a Sign, over His Bed, saying, No BP or Sticks in Left Arm "  If a Sign, like that is not Noticed, then Someone, is not doing Their Job.

Exactly! I got word that is staying until at least Wed. Taking a felt tip pen and writing on his arm, AND talking to the nurse manager as it almost happened again today, because the nurse read HER left, not his.

[silverhead]

Whenever Sharon went into the hospital I used the felt Tip pen and wrote "Do Not Use" in large letters on that arm, signs on the door and over the bed just do not get read.......

[natnnnat]

I like Silverhead's version: "Do Not Use" might be better:  cos its not just "no BP" right?  Also no blood tests, no needles.

[RenalSurvivorDotCA]

I wear a MedicAlert necklace that says "NO BP CUFF OR NEEDLES ON RT ARM" and  "MED LIST IN WALLET"

[PVUgrad]

Excellent idea! Need to change his medic alert now that he has started dialysis.

[RichardMEL]

When I was in the hospital post transplant there was a big sign over the bed - something like "LEFT AVF - NO BLOODS/BP" and on the actual arm near the elbow was a bright green sticker taped there basically saying the same thing.