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Johns Hopkins study finds arm position affects blood pressure accuracy
A study led by Johns Hopkins University, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, has found that improper arm positioning during blood pressure checks can significantly inflate readings. The research, which involved 133 adults aged 18 to 80, demonstrated that how a person rests their arm can lead to inaccurate data that may impact medical diagnoses.
According to the findings, letting the arm hang unsupported at the side increased systolic pressure by an average of 6.5 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 4.4 mmHg. Similarly, resting the arm on the lap resulted in an average increase of 3.9 mmHg for systolic and 4.0 mmHg for diastolic readings.
Researchers noted that these discrepancies are particularly concerning when readings are near clinical thresholds for hypertension. Such inaccuracies could lead to patients being incorrectly diagnosed or prescribed unnecessary medications or stronger doses.
Entities
American Heart Association · JAMA Internal Medicine · Johns Hopkins University
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Resting the arm on the lap increased systolic pressure by an average of 3.9 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 4.0 mmHg. knowridge.com · www.hna.de · www.merkur.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Inaccurate blood pressure readings caused by arm position could lead to unnecessary medical treatments or stronger medications. knowridge.com · www.hna.de · www.merkur.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] A trial led by Johns Hopkins Medicine found that certain arm positions produce higher blood pressure readings than the recommended position. knowridge.com · www.hna.de · www.merkur.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Hanging the arm unsupported at the side increased systolic pressure by an average of 6.5 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 4.4 mmHg. knowridge.com · www.hna.de · www.merkur.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The study included 133 adults between the ages of 18 and 80. knowridge.com · www.hna.de · www.merkur.de