Do the Max Pulse test in a quiet room. Make sure there are no loud noises, vibrations or bright lighting that might disturb the patient during the short Max Pulse test. Patient should not have caffine before the test. For most accurate results do not test directly after eating food.

Keep in mind that the Max Pulse Test is designed to estimate how stiff the patients arteries are and how good circulation is. If this patient is taking anything that might cause his/her arteries to either constrict or relax, this will impact the test results. If you get an unexpected result, check with the patient for medications, supplements, drugs or other things that might impact the test. The test can even be influenced by high levels of stress which will tighten arteries.

Have the patient relax for a few minutes before getting started. Anxiousness, tension, and stress affect the test. The test should be taken with the patient in a resting state.

The temperature of a room should be comfortable. If the clinic is kept cold or the climate is cold, then pay attention to make sure that the patient is warmed up before the test and does not have cold hands. Keep in mind that the device is using the volume of blood at the fingertip to track the heart and arteries. If the hands are cold, circulation to the fingertips can be too low for an accurate reading.

The patient should be sitting or lying and the hands below the height of the heart. A common position for this test is seated with hands in lap.

Avoid putting pressure on the patient’s arm or finger tip.

Attach the finger clip lightly. Make sure the finger clip is not being squeezed. There should be no pressure on the clip. For example a person who tucks their hands under their thighs will get an inaccurate readings.

Acrylic nails can block the Max Pulse Test sensor. Retest the patient when this has been removed.

In some instances where a person has dark pigmentation under the nails flipping the finger probe on the finger to register the underside of the finger can help to get a reading.