A study showed that blood pressure measurements vary greatly depending on the position of the arm. If your arm is positioned incorrectly when measuring, you may be misdiagnosed as high blood pressure.
The number of patients with high blood pressure in Korea is steadily increasing from 6,542,792 in 2019 to 7,466,596 in 2023.
It is normal when systolic blood pressure is less than 120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure is less than 80 mmHg. Less than 140/90 mmHg is prehypertension, less than 160/100 mmHg is stage 1 hypertension, and more than 160/100 mmHg is stage 2 hypertension, which is the most serious stage.
Systolic blood pressure (peak) refers to the pressure exerted on the artery walls when the heart beats. Diastolic (minimum) blood pressure is the minimum pressure exerted on the artery walls while the heart relaxes and the blood waits for the next heart contraction.
Untreated high blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other serious heart conditions.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States investigated the effect of three arm positions when measuring blood pressure. This is when your arms are supported on a desk or table, when they are supported on your knees, or when they are let down naturally.
As a result of the study, the systolic blood pressure was overestimated by 3.9 mmHg and the diastolic blood pressure was overestimated by 4 mmHg when the arms were supported on the knees. The posture of placing the arms at the side was even more severe, and systolic blood pressure was overestimated by 6.5 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 4.4 mmHg.
Dr. Tammy Brady of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said arm position makes a “big difference” when it comes to accurately measuring blood pressure, and that arms should be placed on a solid support such as a desk or table.
The correct posture recommended by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is to sit in a chair with a backrest with your back straight, place both feet flat on the floor and place your arms on a desk or table, with the blood pressure monitor (cuff) placed at the mid-level of the heart. Let’s do it. You should also rest for 5 minutes before measuring your blood pressure and measure again a few minutes later to check if it is accurate.
For this study, researchers recruited 133 adults aged 18 to 80 and measured their blood pressure. Before measuring blood pressure, all subjects emptied their bladders, walked for 2 minutes, and then sat on a chair with a back and footrest and rested for 5 minutes.
Then, each person’s blood pressure was measured three times in three sitting positions. The process of walking for 2 minutes and resting for 5 minutes was repeated between measurements.
After checking the numbers, we found that the values measured with the arm resting on the knee or hanging to the side were noticeably higher than the values measured with the arm supported on a desk or table.
If the measurement was continued without the arm being supported on the desk, systolic blood pressure of 123 mmHg may appear as 130 mmHg, and 133 mmHg may appear as 140 mmHg. The latter case corresponds to the prehypertension stage.
Professor Brian Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Measuring blood pressure is one of the simplest ways to identify people at risk of heart disease and stroke, but it is important that the measurement is done correctly if it is to be used to make treatment decisions. ”he told the Evening Standard.
Dr. Gail Adler, director of the Hypertension Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard University Medical School, said there are several steps to take before measuring blood pressure. “30 minutes before measuring blood pressure, avoid smoking, exercise, caffeine (coffee, tea, beverages, etc.) It’s better not to even argue. “Don’t be psychologically stressed,” he told CNN.
“Then sit on a chair, maintain good posture, relax for 5 minutes, do not speak, rest your arms comfortably, sit up straight, keep your back straight, do not cross your legs, keep your feet flat, and if you feel the need to urinate, check your blood pressure. “Empty your bladder because it can increase,” he said. “When measuring your blood pressure, you should not talk and the cuff should touch your bare skin. “It should not touch clothes,” he advised.
Professor Williams and Dr. Adler did not participate in this study.
Meanwhile, the results of this study were published on the 7th (local time) in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Internal Medicine).
참고자료: Arm Position and Blood Pressure Readings
The ARMS Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial-
2024-10-08 06:12:44