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New Study Reveals Doctors’ Blood Pressure Measurement Errors
If you’re someone managing high blood pressure, this news is of utmost importance. A groundbreaking research study, conducted in collaboration with the American Heart Association over nearly three decades, has shed light on a critical issue concerning high blood pressure diagnosis. The study’s findings suggest that doctors may be overlooking certain health complications if they only measure blood pressure readings with patients in a seated position.
Traditionally, patients have their blood pressure measured while sitting upright. However, the study argues that it should now become standard practice to conduct two readings.
Lead study author Duc M. Giao, a researcher and fourth-year MD student at Harvard Medical School, emphasizes, “If blood pressure is only measured while people are seated upright, cardiovascular disease risk may be missed if not also measured while they are lying supine on their backs.”
Individuals whose blood pressure was assessed while lying down exhibited an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and premature death. Interestingly, the type of medications used to manage blood pressure did not influence these cardiovascular risks, according to the research findings.
The autonomic nervous system is responsible for regulating blood pressure. However, gravity can cause blood to pool when individuals are seated or upright. On the other hand, the body may struggle to regulate blood pressure when individuals are lying down, seated, or standing.
Giao adds, “Our findings suggest people with known risk factors for heart disease and stroke may benefit from having their blood pressure checked while lying flat on their backs.”
The study’s initial phase commenced in 1987 and extended until 1989. It involved 15,972 adults across the United States, encompassing diverse participants, with over half (56%) being women and 25 percent of participants being Black. Blood pressure readings were collected in both rural and urban clinic settings. Subsequently, the participants’ health was monitored for an average of 25 to 28 years, with the latest health data being collected between 2011 and 2013.
The study identified a higher risk of developing hypertension among COVID-19 patients who were over 40, male, Black, or had pre-existing conditions.
Surprisingly, 16 percent of the participants did not exhibit high blood pressure (defined as a reading greater than 130/80 mm Hg) while seated. However, these same individuals displayed high blood pressure readings when their blood pressure was measured while lying flat on their backs.
Among the individuals who had high blood pressure both while seated and lying down, three out of four (74%) showed a 1.6 times higher risk for future heart failure, a 1.86 times higher risk for stroke, a 1.43 times higher risk for premature death, and a 2.18 times higher risk for coronary heart disease. Similarly, individuals who only exhibited high blood pressure readings when lying down also faced similar risks.
Giao underscores, “Our findings suggest people with known risk factors for heart disease and stroke may benefit from having their blood pressure checked while lying flat on their backs. Efforts to manage blood pressure during daily life may help lower blood pressure while sleeping. Future research should compare supine blood pressure measurements in the clinic with overnight measurements.”
It’s important to note that this study focused solely on middle-aged adults, with an average participant age of 54. The findings may vary for older populations.
The research team presented their groundbreaking findings at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2023.
