Measuring Blood Pressure for Decision Making and Quality Reporting
Authors: Benjamin J. Powers, Eugene Z. Oddone, Hayden B. Bosworth
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2011)

Letters18 October 2011Measuring Blood Pressure for Decision Making and Quality ReportingBenjamin J. Powers, MD, MHS, Eugene Z. Oddone, MD, MHS, and Hayden B. Bosworth, PhDBenjamin J. Powers, MD, MHSFrom Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705., Eugene Z. Oddone, MD, MHSFrom Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705., and Hayden B. Bosworth, PhDFrom Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-155-8-201110180-00027 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:As Dr. Logan Silva pointed out, the common errors of a poorly fitting cuff, instrument miscalibration, and sloppy technique all contribute to imprecise blood pressure measurement. Unless we insist on high standards for blood pressure measurement, the reported value may not mean much (1). In addition, terminal digit preference (for example, the tendency to report manual readings with 0 or 5) and remeasurement of blood pressure when the initial value is high but never when it is normal are common biases. There is substantial room for improvement in our implementation of standards for blood pressure measurement.However, we ...References1. Ogedegbe G, Pickering T. Principles and techniques of blood pressure measurement. Cardiol Clin. 2010;28:571-86. [PMID: 20937442] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Bobrie G, Chatellier G, Genes N, Clerson P, Vaur L, Vaisse B, et al. Cardiovascular prognosis of "masked hypertension" detected by blood pressure self-measurement in elderly treated hypertensive patients. JAMA. 2004;291:1342-9. [PMID: 15026401] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Niiranen TJ, Hänninen MR, Johansson J, Reunanen A, Jula AM. Home-measured blood pressure is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk than office blood pressure: the Finn-Home study. Hypertension. 2010;55:1346-51. [PMID: 20385970] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Verberk WJ, Kroon AA, Lenders JW, Kessels AG, van Montfrans GA, Smit AJ, et al; Home Versus Office Measurement, Reduction of Unnecessary Treatment Study Investigators. Self-measurement of blood pressure at home reduces the need for antihypertensive drugs: a randomized, controlled trial. Hypertension. 2007;50:1019-25. [PMID: 17938383] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Benjamin J. Powers, MD, MHS; Eugene Z. Oddone, MD, MHS; Hayden B. Bosworth, PhDAffiliations: From Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M10-2595. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoMeasuring Blood Pressure for Decision Making and Quality Reporting: Where and How Many Measures? Benjamin J. Powers , Maren K. Olsen , Valerie A. Smith , Robert F. Woolson , Hayden B. Bosworth , and Eugene Z. Oddone Measuring Blood Pressure for Decision Making and Quality Reporting Omega C. Logan Silva Measuring Blood Pressure for Decision Making and Quality Reporting Randy Wexler Metrics Cited byDetecting Heterogeneous Treatment Effects to Guide Personalized Blood Pressure Treatment A Modeling Study of Randomized Clinical TrialsSanjay Basu, MD, PhD, Jeremy B. Sussman, MD, MS, and Rod A. Hayward, MDAlternative Strategies to Achieve Cardiovascular Mortality Goals in China and IndiaIs It Time for a Blood Pressure Measurement "Bundle"? 18 October 2011Volume 155, Issue 8Page: 565-566KeywordsBlood pressureConflicts of interestDecision makingDisclosureForecastingHypertensionTreatment guidelines ePublished: 18 October 2011 Issue Published: 18 October 2011 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2011 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...