Blood Pressure Lower After Short Wait
Reported April 25, 2006
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Your blood pressure reading at the doctor’s office may be higher than it should be when it’s measured right away.
New research from the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville reveals systolic blood pressure can be an average of 14 points higher when it’s taken as soon as you get to the exam room and sit on an exam table than if you sit in a chair with your back supported and your feet flat on the floor. Results revealed all participants had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure when they sat in a chair compared to an exam table. Researchers say a 14-point difference can mean the difference between a clean bill of health and an inaccurate diagnosis.
“Currently, most patients get called back for their appointment, sit on the table, and immediately get their blood pressure measured,” says lead author, Melly Turner, R.N., of the University of Virginia Health System. “Our study reaffirmed the American Heart Association’s technique that patients should sit in a calm environment with feet flat on the floor, resting their back against the chair for at least five minutes before taking a blood pressure measurement on a bare arm at heart level. All too often, this doesn’t happen.”
According to the American Heart Association, about one-third of Americans have high blood pressure. The group’s definition of hypertension is 140/90 or greater on two consecutive tests. A desirable reading is around 120/80.
SOURCE: National Conference of the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Denver, April 20-22, 2006
