MillenniumPost
Delhi

At least 3 BP measurements provide accurate data of patient's condition: Study

New Delhi: At least three repeated measurements of blood pressure during a clinic visit is required to reduce inaccurate classification of a patient's true condition and prevent misdiagnosis, a recent study has stated. The study recently published in the Journal of Human Hypertension was conducted by researchers at Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), AIIMS, New Delhi, and the Economics and Planning unit of the Indian Statistical Institute.

Either due to patient load or lack of awareness among physicians, often single blood pressure measurement is used to diagnose and manage hypertension. This results in many people being diagnosed as having high blood pressure and often receive treatment they may not need.

The study found 63 per cent higher prevalence of hypertension when estimated through a single blood pressure measurement, compared to an average of multiple measurements. It has implications for India's newly launched National Health Mission in India under which the health and wellness centres (HWC) play a pivotal role in detection and management of non-communicable diseases, especially hypertension. During the study, the authors observed that the median difference in Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) increased as measurements moved to higher blood pressure categories.

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