Oct. 8, 2024 – People who've been diagnosed with hypertension will want to check again. That's because many commonly used arm positions for blood pressure checks may end up in inaccurately high readings, researchers say.
Blood pressure readings within the really useful position with the arm resting on a surface level with the guts were, on average, as much as 6.5 points lower in comparison with other commonly used positions, reminiscent of: B. when the arm is supported with the hand over the lap or when the arm isn't supported and hangs on the person's side.
The differences are enough to maneuver people between blood pressure ranges that may end up in them being prescribed medication. The results suggest that hypertension is commonly overdiagnosed.
Patients “need to advocate for themselves in the clinical setting and when measuring their blood pressure [blood pressure] at home,” said lead study creator Tammy Brady, MD, PhD, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in a opinion.
Published within the magazine on Monday JAMA Internal MedicineThe study These included 133 people whose average age was 57 years. The results were consistent when researchers took into consideration other aspects reminiscent of obesity, age and up to date access to health care, in addition to whether people actually had hypertension, as suggested by the really useful position.
Clinical guidelines require that blood pressure measurements be taken with an appropriately sized cuff placed across the arm with the back supported and the feet flat on the ground. The legs must be uncrossed and the arm must be positioned at heart level with the arm supported on a desk or table.
The people within the study went through a simulation of arriving at a clinic visit, for instance by walking for a number of minutes beforehand, using the bathroom to empty their bladder, and taking a five-minute rest period in a seated position before the measurement.
When the arm was on the lap, systolic blood pressure (top number) was overestimated by 3.9 points and diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) was overestimated by 4.0 points. Readings taken with an unsupported arm on the side overestimated the systolic value by 6.5 points and the diastolic value by 4.4 points.
A healthy blood pressure is taken into account lower than 120 over 80 (commonly written as 120/80). Systolic blood pressure indicates the force of the blood during a heartbeat. Diastolic blood pressure shows the strength of the blood between heartbeats, sometimes known as “at rest.” High blood pressure is usually diagnosed at a reading of 130/80 or higher.
The researchers conducted the study because there are a lot of situations during which blood pressure is measured and there isn't any easy accessibility to a heart-height tabletop to rest the arm on. A typical scenario is when an individual is sitting on an exam table.
The American Heart Association states that almost half of all adults within the U.S. have hypertension and that the issue is more more likely to occur in middle age or later in life as arteries stiffen and plaque builds up in them accumulates. High blood pressure has many aspects, including poor eating regimen, obesity, lack of exercise and stress. The condition carries an increased risk of great health problems which can be among the many leading causes of death within the United States, reminiscent of heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, there may be an increasing deal with diagnosis and treatment across the healthcare system.