Question

When performing a bleeding time, what reading should you place the blood pressure cuff?

A. 80 mm Hg
B. Do not use a blood pressure cuff, use a tourniquet
C. 100 mm Hg
D. 40 mm Hg

Answer 1

The correct blood pressure cuff reading during a bleeding time test is 40 mm Hg, as it allows for an accurate assessment of bleeding cessation time without fully occluding the artery.

Step-by-step explanation:

When performing a bleeding time test, the blood pressure cuff should be inflated to a level of 40 mm Hg. This level is sufficient to reduce arterial blood flow, allowing for an accurate measurement of the time it takes for bleeding to stop without completely occluding the artery as higher pressures might. Ensuring the correct pressure is important for the validity of the bleeding time test results.