Final answer:
Blood pressure cuff width should be 40% of the limb's circumference, and the bladder should cover 80% to 100%. Inclination differences, such as measuring on the leg rather than at heart level, require accounting for additional hydrostatic pressure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves understanding the correct sizing of a blood pressure cuff relative to the circumference of the extremity being measured. The cuff's width should be approximately 40% of the circumference of the extremity, and the bladder inside the cuff, which inflates to constrict the artery, should cover about 80% to 100% of the circumference of the extremity. This ensures that the pressure is applied evenly and accurate measurements are obtained.
When measuring blood pressure on an extremity that is at a different elevation than the heart, such as the leg being 0.500 meters below the heart, one must account for the additional hydrostatic pressure due to gravity.
Assuming no loss of pressure due to resistance in the circulatory system, the gravitational pressure added to the systolic and diastolic pressures is the product of the height difference, the density of blood (typically assumed to be equivalent to water), and gravitational acceleration (9.81 m/s²).