Changing how blood pressure is measured will save lives

Traditional methods of testing for high-blood pressure are no longer adequate and risk missing vital health signs, which can lead to premature death, a study co-led by UCL has found. The research, the largest ever cohort study of its kind, published in the New England Journal for Medicine, assessed 63,000 doctors' patients, who had their blood pressure tested using traditional 'in clinic' methods, such as an automated or hand operated devices. Separately, the same patients, were also measured using a pocket-sized ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) device, which records blood pressure regularly across a 24 hour period. This device is worn at home and takes measurements every 20 to 30 mins. High blood pressure is the leading preventable cause of premature death globally and affects approximately 25% of all adults. The study, which was co-led by Professor Bryan Williams (UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences), found that measuring blood pressure using an ABPM device was 50% more accurate than the traditional way blood pressure is measured in the clinic, and therefore a significantly more accurate way of predicting a patient's risk of death. Using an ABPM to measure the blood pressure at home, during day-to-day activities and during sleep, also means known variations in patients' blood pressure caused by using 'in clinic' methods, can be more accurately diagnosed.