Get your BP checked in both your arms to reduce your
risk of heart attacks
You may want to get your blood
pressure checked in both arms as a recent study has suggested
that a difference between the two readings can give an early warning about
increased risk of heart disease.
The University of Exeter Medical School led an analysis of more than 3,000
people in Scotland who each had blood pressure measurements taken from both
arms. Researchers say the findings show the importance of routinely measuring
blood pressure in both arms. The team found that a difference in systolic blood
pressure measurements between the two arms (of 5mm Hg) was associated with
almost double the risk of death from heart-related disease, when the cohort was
followed up over a period of eight years. In the analysis, which was based on
one pair of blood pressure readings, 60 per cent of the cohort had this
difference.
The researchers wanted to examine this single check of
blood pressure in both arms to reflect currently available measurement methods
in general practice. It is known, however, that the proportion of people
confirmed to have a blood pressure difference will fall substantially on repeated
testing. Dr Chris Clark said that this study confirms that people identified
with only a single pair of measurements are still at higher risk of heart
disease than those without an inter-arm difference. Repeated assessments to
confirm the existence of an inter-arm difference and suitable lifestyle advice
can then be targeted at individuals identified in this way and could make a
difference to their future health.
He added that the next stage of our research is to
quantify the extra risk that an inter-arm difference indicates, and after that,
to discover the extent to which this can be protected against. Professor Jeremy
Pearson noted that this study found that healthy people without pre-existing
heart disease may also have an increased risk. The findings support current
guidance that blood pressure should be measured in both arms when assessing
someone for hypertension.
The study appears in journal British Journal of General Practice.
Source: www.thehealthsite.com
15.04.2016
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