Dear Editor,

I have recently left home care to work in a community health center but continue to look forward to this monthly journal, finding that many of the articles offer information applicable to my new practice setting.

I have just read "Ask Home Healthcare Nurse" (August 2005) and was surprised by alternatives for monitoring blood pressure when the brachial artery site is unavailable. I have used the thigh blood pressure in addition to the radial site and did not see this noted in the response. The use of this site was verified by Carolyn Jarvis in the 4th edition of Physical Exam and Health Assessment, in which she notes:

"Normally thigh pressure is higher than at the arm....Wrap a large cuff around the lower thigh, over the popliteal artery on back of the knee and auscultate the popliteal artery for the reading" (p. 189).

I offer this option as another practice alternative to reduce the incidence of hypertension and its related diseases.

Thank you for your fine journal,