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The Health Risk of Inaccurate Blood Pressure Measurements
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A lot of people who are concerned about their health have blood pressure machines at home. But these devices may not be as helpful as you might think.

 

 

You probably know by now that your blood pressure is an important health risk. High blood pressure can be very dangerous, which is why monitoring this measurement is important. Blood pressure machines are easy to access and use, which is why you may have one in your home. However, there are some drawbacks to these devices. Here’s what you need to know about measuring blood pressure at home and the limitations of the results.

 

Unstable Blood Pressure NumbersImprove the Accuracy Of Blood Pressure Measurements -improve your health risk

Taking your blood pressure at home is fairly simple. You just hook up your arm, press the button, and let the machine go to work. This is important to do because blood pressure is an easy to measure, important sign of overall health risk. And the results are easy to decode, even if you aren’t a medical expert.

 

But those simple numbers may not be as simple to read as previously thought. Blood pressure numbers tend to be very inconsistent. In fact, you’ve probably encountered this yourself. You take your blood pressure in the morning and it’s normal. And then in the evening you take it again and your blood pressure is too high. This is a common experience and complaint from people who are trying to improve their health through monitoring.

 

Even if you follow the directions on your blood pressure machine to the letter, there will be a lot of variation. And if you’re relying on these measurements to assess your health risk, this is a major problem.

 

What Causes Blood Pressure Fluctuations

There are a lot of reasons why you may notice lots of variation in your blood pressure measurements. These include:

 

Non-Valid Machines

 

A recent study has suggested that many blood pressure machines haven’t been properly validated for accuracy. When a blood pressure device is validated, it’s tested extensively to ensure that it takes accurate blood pressure readings. This research only covered devices available in Australia’s online market. However, there’s no evidence to suggest that other markets are different.

The study found that:

 

  • Just over 18% of upper-arm cuff blood pressure devices had been validated.
  • 6% of the models available to buy had been validated.
  • None of the wristband models had been validated.
  • Non-validated machines were cheaper than validated ones.

 

This is a serious problem because it could lead to misdiagnoses and inappropriate treatment. However, it may not explain the blood pressure fluctuations that people experience.

 

Where you Measure

Recent research has highlighted the importance of where you measure your blood pressure. Blood pressure readings in neuroscience intensive care unit (NSICU) patients show marked differences when measurements were taken from different sites and even different sides of the body. These differences are found in the systolic pressure, or the top number in measurements, and the diastolic pressure.

 

Typically, there are a couple of different ways to measure blood pressure. This includes a cuff around the upper arm, wrist, or thigh. Catheters can also be inserted into arteries for arterial pressure. For a long time, it was thought that there was little difference between these measures at different sites. But that’s now proving to be untrue.

 

The study found:

 

  • A mean difference in systolic pressure of 8 points between upper arms.
  • A mean difference of up to 13 points between upper arm and wrist systolic values.
  • Variations by a mean of around 6 points between arms in diastolic measures.
  • 5 points difference between upper arms and wrists.
  • Arterial pressure could be as much as 15 points higher or lower.

 

The Takeaway

All this data highlights the importance of consistency in blood pressure measurements. Here how to get more consistent results in your measurement sessions:

 

  • Make sure your blood pressure device is high quality and validated.
  • Always take measurements from the same place on your body.
  • Measure 3-4 times in each session.
  • Take repeat measurements at different times of day for further accuracy.

 

You can’t completely eliminate all inconsistencies. All you can do is diminish external mistakes for results that are as accurate as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re concerned about your blood pressure or any other aspect of your health, use  HomeLab to help you keep track of your condition and any changes you make to your life.

 

Tags: Health Risk, blood pressure

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