Check blood pressure in both arms to cut heart risk

CheCking people’s blood pressure in both arms and using the highest reading could prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes, a study suggests.

The move could see the number of people diagnosed with hypertension increase by up to 12 per cent, as they are below the threshold on one arm and above it on the other.

These extra patients can be given advice on how to lower their blood pressure and be put on medication, researchers from the University of exeter say.

Study leader Dr Christopher Clark estimates this would prevent 5,510 fatal or non-fatal heart attacks and strokes in england over five years.

he said: ‘high blood pressure is a global issue and poor management can be fatal. This study shows that failure to measure both arms and use the higher reading will not only result in under-diagnosis and undertreatment but also under- estimation of cardiovascular risks for millions of people worldwide.’

Although international guidelines advise checking blood pressure in both arms, it is currently not widely adopted in clinics.

The research, published in the journal hypertension, analysed data from 53,172 people to examine the implications of choosing the higher or lower arm blood pressure.

Using the higher arm measurement rather than the lower arm resulted in reclassification of 6,572 (12.4 per cent) participants’ systolic blood pressures from below to above 130 mmhg. And 6,339 participants (11.9 per cent) moved from below to above 140 mmhg, which is the commonly used diagnostic threshold for hypertension.

Dr Clark added: ‘it’s impossible to predict the best arm for blood pressure measurement as some people have a higher reading in their left arm compared to their right and equal numbers have the opposite. So it’s important to check both.’

The study also revealed higher arm blood pressure readings better predicted deaths from any cause of cardiovascular disease compared to the lower arm reading alone. high blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely has noticeable symptoms. But left untreated, it increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

There are around 140,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease in england each year. Around a third of adults in england – 13.5million – have high blood pressure, although many will not realise it. The only way to find out if blood pressure is high is to have it checked.

Sindy Jodar, senior cardiac nurse at the British heart Foundation, said: ‘Uk guidelines already call for blood pressure to be measured in both arms and this research emphasises the importance of doing so.’

Blood pressure is recorded with two numbers. The systolic pressure – higher number – is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body. The diastolic pressure – lower number – is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels. Both are measured in millimetres of mercury (mmhg).

high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90 mmhg or higher, rising to 150/90 mmhg or higher for people over the age of 80.

ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60 mmhg and 120/80 mmhg.

‘Not widely adopted in clinics’