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It's Topic Tuesday!


Hi everyone, we hope your week has been off to a good start so far. Today, we would like to briefly discuss a recent research study that is a great follow up of our post of anti-hypertensive medications from last week.


A recent study highlights that blood pressure readings might be inaccurate if a person's arm is not positioned correctly. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, compared readings taken with arms in three different positions: resting on a surface, on the lap, or hanging by the side. Results showed that certain arm positions, especially with the arm hanging, could lead to significant increases in systolic pressure—the top number in a reading. The difference was as much as 7 points in the hanging arm position, which surprised the researchers.


Dr. Tammy Brady, the study’s senior author and a pediatric hypertension expert at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, noted that the team was unsure if arm position would matter but found that it did. She hopes the findings will empower patients to ensure their blood pressure is measured accurately. The American Heart Association advises supporting the arm during measurements for accuracy, alongside other guidelines like avoiding caffeine and exercise before a reading.


In the study, 133 adults had their blood pressure measured in different arm positions, with results showing higher systolic and diastolic readings when the arms were unsupported. These differences could lead to unnecessary diagnoses of hypertension and the prescription of unneeded medications.


Experts, including Dr. Karyn Singer of NYU and Dr. Megan Kamath of UCLA, emphasize that patients should be aware of proper measurement techniques and advocate for accurate readings.


Mispositioned arms during blood pressure measurements could result in readings high enough to shift a patient into a higher risk category, leading to unnecessary treatment with side effects such as dizziness or fatigue, noted Dr. Matthew Tomey, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai. The study emphasizes the importance of accurate arm positioning to prevent misdiagnosis of hypertension.



And that is all that we have for you this week! We hope you have a wonderful rest of your week.


Take care and stay healthy.

Duc

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