Blood pressure checks on both arms ‘could save lives’

DOCTORS may be failing to spot patients with high blood pressure, putting them at risk of heart attack or stroke, as experts say the warning threshold should be lowered by a third.

When testing blood pressure in both arms doctors may find a difference in readings, which scientists say is linked to greater risk of death.

Current UK and European guidelines recognise a difference of 15mmhg (units of millimetres of mercury) or more between the two arms as the threshold to be associated with additional cardiovascular risk.

But new findings, based on data gathered from 24 global studies of nearly 54,000 people, suggest that should be lowered by a third to 10mmhg.

The report, published in the journal Hypertension, found that the lower threshold was clearly indicative of additional risk, which would mean that “far more people should be considered for treatment if such a difference between arms is present”.

Dr Chris Clark, a GP and lead author of the report by the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “Checking one arm then the other with a routinely used blood pressure monitor is cheap and can be carried out in any healthcare setting. Whilst international guidelines currently recommend that this is done, it only happens around half of the time at best, usually due to time constraints.

“Our research shows that the little extra time it takes to measure both arms could ultimately save lives.”

A significant difference between the systolic blood pressure measurements

‘Checking one arm then the other is cheap and can be carried out in any health care setting’

in the two arms is often a sign that arteries are narrowing or stiffening.

Prof Victor Aboyans, co-author of the report and head of cardiology at Dupuytren University Hospital in Limoges, France, said: “We believe that a 10mmhg difference can now reasonably be regarded as an upper limit of normal f or systolic i nter-arm blood pressure, when both arms are measured in sequence during routine clinical appointments.

“This information should be incorporated into future guidelines and clinical practice in assessing cardiovascular risk. It would mean many more people were considered for treatment that could reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke and death.”