Blood pressure measurement in hypotensive critically ill patients

How many intensivists do it non-invasively?

From a survey of SCCM members:

Measurements and Main Results: Use of non-invasive and invasive blood pressure devices. Eight hundred eighty individuals received an invitation to complete the survey and 149 responded. We found that 71% (105 of 149) of intensivists estimated the correct cuff size rather than measuring arm circumference directly. In hypotensive patients, 73% of respondents (108 of 149) reported using noninvasive blood pressure measurement measurements for patient management. In patients on a vasopressor medication, 47% (70 of 149) of respondents reported using noninvasive blood pressure measurement for management.

Conclusions: The use of noninvasive blood pressure measurement measurements in critically ill patients is common despite the paucity of evidence validating its accuracy in critically ill patients.