ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Darrell R. Over, MD, MSc, Avoiding missteps in BP FAAFP UAMS (South Central) Family Medicine Residency Program, measurement Pine Bluff, AR [email protected] Making sure a patient is seated properly is just one way The author reported no potential conflict of interest relevant to ensure an accurate measurement. But steering clear to this article. of certain methods of measurement in particular patient populations is also important. lood pressure (BP) measurement is adjusted prevalence of hypertension is estimat- an essential component of the physi- ed to be 34%, equivalent to 85.7 million adults.4 B cal examination. The information ❚ Defining hypertension. For the gen- gleaned through this simple but vitally im- eral population, the Eighth Joint National portant assessment provides a basis for criti- Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evalu- cal decisions about diagnosis, prognosis, and ation, and Treatment of High Blood Pres- therapy in a variety of health care settings. In sure (JNC-8) defines hypertension as a BP of the emergency department, it helps guide re- 140/90 mm Hg or higher in adults younger suscitation efforts; in the intensive care unit, than 60 and a BP of 150/90 mm Hg or higher it helps to identify the deteriorating patient in adults ages 60 or older. For patients with and guide vasopressor drug titration; in the comorbid hypertension and diabetes, JNC-8 ambulatory office setting, it helps to identify recommends pharmacologic treatment when hypertension and the need for antihyperten- BP is 140/90 mm Hg or higher, regardless of sive therapy. age.5 In the office setting, inaccurate BP mea- Accurate measurement of BP provides surement can have profound effects. An over- the rational basis for the management of hy- estimation by only 5 mm Hg would result in pertension, which in turn may decrease the an erroneous diagnosis and unnecessary risk for stroke, congestive heart failure, and treatment of hypertension for about 27 mil- other cardiovascular diseases. Several inves- lion patients—entailing medication costs, tigators6-8 have observed that differences in potential adverse effects, and psychologic interarm systolic BP are associated with an issues associated with this diagnosis. Con- increased risk for peripheral vascular disease, versely, underestimation by 5 mm Hg would stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. miss about 21 million patients who actually have hypertension.1 Multiple factors impact accuracy; some might surprise you Why accurate BP measurement A number of factors may influence the ac- matters so much curacy of BP measurement in the office; About 75 million adults in the United States these are generally classified as related to have high BP,2 which costs the nation $46 bil- the patient, the observer, the technique or lion annually in health care services, antihyper- procedure, or the equipment used. A recent tensive medications, and missed days of work.3 systematic review by Kallioinen et al9 empiri- Among US adults ages 20 or older, the age- cally evaluated 29 potential sources of inac- MDEDGE.COM/FAMILYMEDICINE VOL 69, NO 2 | MARCH 2020 | THE JOURNAL OF FAMILY PRACTICE E1 curacy in the measurement of adult resting dures can target and mitigate many of the BP. Among them were identified sources of error; accordingly, all Patient-related: Recent meal or alcohol clinical staff responsible for obtaining a pa- intake; recent caffeine or nicotine use; full tient’s BP measurement should be trained bladder distention; cold exposure; white- not only in the correct method for accurate coat effect. Given the simplicity of assess- measurement but also in the identification of ing for these influences, it is worthwhile for factors that may introduce errors. office staff to ask patients, prior to the -rec ❚ The American Heart Association ommended 3 to 5 minutes of rest before BP (AHA) recommends that BP be measured in measurement, if they were rushing to make both arms at the initial evaluation, with the their appointment, need to void their blad- higher measurement used for monitoring BP. der, or have consumed food or drink or used The AHA also recommends obtaining at least tobacco within the past 30 minutes. 2 readings at least 1 minute apart and averag- Observer-related: Hearing deficit; ter- ing them as the patient’s BP.10 Other research minal digit bias (ie, preference for rounding recommends using a fully automated sphygmo- BP reading to a specific end digit, eg, 0); mea- manometer to take multiple readings with the surement of diastolic BP at Korotkoff phase patient resting quietly alone in either the exam IV rather than phase V. room or the waiting room11 as an effective and Procedure-related: Patient’s body posi- efficient method for accurate BP averaging. The USPSTF, the tion (eg, standing vs supine; legs crossed at ❚ The 2 principal noninvasive methods UK’s National knee; unsupported back or arm; arm lower of BP measurement are the manual ausculta- Institute for than heart level); incorrect size or placement tory technique and the oscillatory technique. Health and of cuff; talking during measurement (the con- Because of its simplicity and relative degree Clinical tent of conversation may influence results); of accuracy (when correctly performed), the Excellence, and reliance on a single BP measurement. auscultatory measurement remains common and other Equipment-related: Device model bias; in everyday medical practice. Remarkably, it is groups endorse device calibration error. one of only a few techniques for clinical exam- ambulatory As reported by Kallioinen et al9, the mag- ination of patients that has remained relatively BP monitoring nitude of these potential errors ranges from unchanged since it was introduced by the Rus- as the optimal small to large in both the positive and nega- sian physician and scientist Nikolai Sergeevich method for BP tive direction for both systolic and diastolic Korotkoff in 1905.12 However, accurate perfor- measurement. BP, and several sources of error are potential- mance of the auscultatory method requires ly bidirectional. For example, talking during adequate training and experience. BP measurement may result in an increase In contrast, automated oscillometric BP in systolic BP of 4 to 19 mm Hg and in dia- measurement is easily performed and requires stolic BP of 5 to 14.3 mm Hg; measurement minimal training. However, it is important of diastolic BP at Korotkoff phase IV rather to note that any condition altering oscilla- than phase V significantly increases diastolic tion amplitude or regularity (eg, arterial wall BP by 12.5 mm Hg; and recent alcohol intake stiffness or cardiac arrhythmia) will produce can affect systolic BP by –23.6 to +24 mm Hg erroneous results, and the reading must be and diastolic BP by –14 to +16 mm Hg. Over- confirmed by auscultatory measurement.13, 14 all, the researchers found significant direc- tional effects for 27 of the 29 potential sources Auscultatory methods of error, ranging from a mean –24 mm Hg to of BP measurement +33 mm Hg error for estimating systolic BP The mainstay of clinical BP measurement and a mean –14 mm Hg to +23 mm Hg for es- has been auscultatory methods to detect the timating diastolic BP.9 Korotkoff sounds, using a stethoscope and either mercury, aneroid, or “hybrid” sphyg- momanometers. Traditionally, the mercury Careful adherence to guidelines device was the “gold standard,” but the wide- ensures accurate BP measurement spread ban of mercury in health care settings Adequate training and standardized proce- has now all but eliminated its use. E2 THE JOURNAL OF FAMILY PRACTICE | MARCH 2020 | VOL 69, NO 2 BP MEASUREMENT ❚ Aneroid gauge sphygmomanometers Oscillometric methods have a metallic spring and a metal membrane of BP measurement that flexes elastically to translate pressure The auscultatory methods of BP measure- signals from the cuff and operate a needle in ment are gradually being replaced by oscil- the gauge. Owing to their complexity, these lometric techniques that are better suited to devices require regular recalibration, since automated methods of measurement. When inaccurate results may occur anytime the oscillations of pressure in the gradually de- needle does not rest on 0 before use. flating bladder cuff are sensed and recorded, ❚ The newer hybrid sphygmomanome- the point of maximal oscillation corresponds ters have an electronic transducer in place of to the mean intra-arterial pressure.15 The os- a mercury column; BP measurement is per- cillations sensed are vibrations in the arterial formed in the same fashion as with a mercury wall that are detected and transduced to an device, using a stethoscope and auscultation electric signal, producing a digital readout, for the Korotkoff sounds. and correspond approximately to the systolic ❚ Variations in technique for BP mea- pressure and continue below the diastolic surement can result in significantly different pressure. The actual systolic and diastolic readings. In 2005, the AHA published recom- pressures are indirectly estimated accord- mendations for BP monitoring to increase ing to a proprietary, empirically derived al- the accuracy of in-clinic measurements.10 gorithm that differs from 1 manufacturer to Recommendations for accurate BP measure- another. In older patients ment include: ❚ Validated oscillometric techniques or those with Patient preparation. The patient should have been successfully used in ambulatory diabetes who be seated in a chair with his or her back sup- BP monitors, which record pressure at