Blood pressure discrepancy between limbs

Dear Ask The Doctor: Why would my blood pressure be higher on one side of my body than the other side?

Dear Richard:Slight variation sometimes exists between non-invasive blood pressure readings in the right and left arm or between the upper limbs and lower limbs. This can often be related to inadequate equipment for example incorrect blood pressure cuff size for lower limb measurement. If there is a significant difference between blood pressure readings, this could represent a narrowing (stenosis) of a blood vessel or coarctation (narrowing) of the aorta (largest artery in the body). I would advise discussing your blood pressure results with your family physician and further investigation as appropriate.