Pseudohypertension, also known as pseudohypertension in the elderly, noncompressibility artery syndrome, and Osler's sign of pseudohypertension is a falsely elevated
blood pressure
Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure results from the heart pumping blood through the circulatory system. When used without qualification, the term "blood pressure" r ...
reading obtained through
sphygmomanometry due to
calcification of
blood vessels which cannot be compressed.
There is normal blood pressure when it is measured from within the artery.
This condition however is associated with significant cardiovascular disease risk.
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Because the stiffened arterial walls of arteriosclerosis do not compress with pressure normally, the blood pressure reading is theoretically higher than the true intra-arterial measurement.
To perform the test, one first inflates the blood pressure cuff above systolic pressure to obliterate the radial pulse. One then attempts to palpate the radial artery, a positive test is if it remains palpable as a firm "tube".
It occurs frequently in the elderly irrespective of them being hypertensive, and has moderate to modest intraobserver and interobserver agreement.][Physical Diagnosis Secrets. Second Edition. Salvatore Mangione, MD] It is also known as "Osler's maneuver".
References
Symptoms and signs: Vascular
William Osler
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