A nurse is helping at a health fair at a local mall. What should the nurse keep in mind when taking blood pressures on a variety of people?

A) After menopause, blood pressure readings in women are usually lower than those taken in men.
B) The blood pressure of an African-American adult is usually higher than that of a non-Hispanic White adult of the same age.
C) Blood pressure measurements in people who are overweight should be the same as those of people who are at a normal weight.
D) A teenager's blood pressure reading will be lower than that of an adult.

In the United States, an African-American adult's blood pressure is usually higher than that of a non-Hispanic White adult of the same age. After menopause, blood pressure in women is higher than in men; blood pressure measurements in people who are obese are usually higher than in those who are not overweight. Normally, a gradual rise occurs through childhood and into the adult years. After menopause, blood pressure in women is higher than in men; blood pressure measurements in people who are obese are usually higher than in those who are not overweight; and there is normally a gradual increase in blood pressure through childhood and into the adult years. The incidence of hypertension is twice as high in African-Americans as it is in non-Hispanic Whites.