Are Automated Office Blood Pressure Readings More Variable Than Home Readings?

Automated office blood pressure measurement with the assistance of an instructional video in patients with hypertension

OBJECTIVES

Automated office blood pressure (AOBP) measurement often requires assistance. Accompanied by an instructional video, AOBP measurement could be performed independently by patients.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Seventy-five patients with hypertension were enrolled. AOBP was measured three times at 1-min intervals after 5 min of rest by an automated BP measurement device with the assistance of an animated instructional video. The video was designed originally to instruct patients on the way to measure BP appropriately. Perceived stress was evaluated using a questionnaire after the AOBP measurement. Office BP was measured three times using the same device. Home BP measurement was performed on 5 consecutive days.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 74.5 ± 10.6 years, and 96% were taking antihypertensive drugs. Mean AOBP, office BP and home BP measurements were 135.2 ± 17.2/81.3 ± 11.1, 139.3 ± 16.3/78.6 ± 10.9 and 129.2 ± 16.7/72.7 ± 8.9 mmHg, respectively. Regarding SBP, the mean AOBP was significantly lower than office BP ( P  = 0.005) and higher than home BP ( P  = 0.004). The differences in SBP and DBP between AOBP and home BP measurements were significantly related to patients' perceived stress when performing AOBP measurements ( r  = 0.289; P  = 0.013 and r  = 0.328; P  = 0.004). In a multivariate analysis, patients' perceived stress was a significant predictor of the difference between AOBP and home BP ( P  = 0.013), even after adjusting for age, sex, BMI and mean of AOBP and home BP.

CONCLUSION

AOBP values measured with the assistance of an instructional video were between conventional office and home BP measurements. Perceived stress during AOBP measurement was related to the difference in AOBP from home BP.

Comparison of office, home and ambulatory blood pressure measurements in hypertensive and suspected hypertensive SWICOS participants

PURPOSE

Hypertension should be confirmed with the use of home BP measurement (HBPM) or 24h ambulatory BP measurement (ABPM). The aim of our study was to compare measurements obtained by OBPM, HBPM and ABPM in individuals with elevated OBPM participating in the population-based Swiss Longitudinal Cohort Study (SWICOS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Participants with OBPM ≥140/90 mmHg assessed their BP using HBPM and ABPM. The cut-off for hypertension was ≥135/85 mmHg for HBPM, ≥130/80 mmHg for ABPM. White-coat hypertension (WCH) was defined as normal HPBM and ABPM in participants not taking antihypertensive drugs. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as hypertension in HBPM or ABPM despite antihypertensive treatment.

RESULTS

Of 72 hypertensive subjects with office BP ≥140/90 mmHg and valid measurements of HBPM and ABPM, 39 were males (aged 62.8 ± 11.8y), 33 were females (aged 57.4 ± 14.2y). Hypertension was confirmed with HBPM and ABPM in 17 participants (24%), with ABPM only in 24 further participants (33%), and with HBPM only in 2 further participants (3%). Participants who had hypertension according to ABPM but not HBPM were younger (59 ± 11 y versus 67 ± 16 y; p < 0.001) and more frequently still working (83% versus 23%; p < 0.001). The prevalence of WCH was 28%. Among the 32 subjects taking antihypertensive drugs, uncontrolled hypertension was found in 49%.

CONCLUSION

This population-based study found a high prevalence of WCH and potential uncontrolled hypertension among individuals with elevated OBPM. This study, therefore, supports the ESH recommendations of complementing OBPM by ABPM or HBPM. The use of HBPM instead of ABPM for the confirmation of hypertension in individuals with elevated OBPM might lead to underdiagnosis and uncontrolled hypertension, in particular in the younger working population. In these individuals, this study suggests using ABPM instead of HBPM.

Association of Serum High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol with High Blood Pressures at Checkup: Results of Kanagawa Investigation of Total Checkup Data from the National Database-9 (KITCHEN-9)

BACKGROUND

although high-density lipoprotein has cardioprotective effects, the association between serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and hypertension is poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated whether high and low concentrations of HDL-C are associated with high blood pressure (HBP) using a large healthcare dataset.

METHODS

in a community-based cross-sectional study of 1,493,152 Japanese people (830,669 men and 662,483 women) aged 40-74 years who underwent a health checkup, blood pressures automatically measured at healthcare center were investigated in nine HDL-C groups (20-110 mg/dL or over).

RESULTS

crude U-shaped relationship were observed between the nine HDL-C and blood pressures in both men and women. Logistic regression analysis showed left-to-right inverted J-shaped relationships between HDL-C and odds ratios for HBP (≥140/90 mmHg and/or pharmacotherapy), with lower limits of 90-99 mg/dL in both sexes, which were unchanged after adjusting for confounding factors. However, further adjustment for body mass index and serum triglyceride concentration revealed positive linear associations between HDL-C and HBP, although blunt U-shaped associations remained in nonalcohol drinkers.

CONCLUSION

both low and extremely high HDL-C concentrations are associated with HBP. The former association might be dependent on excess fat mass concomitant with low HDL-C, whereas the latter association may be largely dependent on frequent alcohol consumption.

Automated office blood pressure measurement by elderly patients in the waiting room

OBJECTIVE

Unattended automated office blood pressure (AOBP) may be a better estimate of true blood pressure (BP) than conventional office BP by physicians or nurses. However, measurement of AOBP is cumbersome in general clinical practice. We compared unattended AOBP by the patients themselves using the rigid cuff in the waiting room with attended AOBP and home BP (HBP) (N = 72).

METHODS

Unattended AOBP by patients was measured in the waiting room using a rigid cuff with the fully automated device (Omron, HEM-907, triple BP readings taken at 1-min intervals after 5 min of rest). Attended AOBP was measured using a soft cuff by a physician in an examination room without specific resting time. HBP was measured for 5 consecutive days.

RESULTS

The mean age was 76.5 ± 8.6 years. The mean systolic unattended AOBP by patients, attended AOBP and HBP were 139.3 ± 16.6, 144.8 ± 17.1 and 139.1 ± 14.4 mmHg, respectively. Unattended AOBP by patients was significantly related to attended AOBP (r = 0.798; P < 0.01) and to HBP (r = 0.404; P < 0.001). It was significantly lower than attended AOBP (difference 5.5 ± 10.7 mmHg; P < 0.001) and comparable with HBP (difference 0.26 ± 17.0 mmHg; P = 0.90) in Bland-Altman plots. However, 22% of patients had a difference of over 20 mmHg between unattended AOBP by patients and HBP. Multivariate regression demonstrated older age (B = -0.73; P = 0.002) to be related to the difference between unattended AOBP by patients and HBP.

CONCLUSION

The mean unattended AOBP by patients was lower than attended AOBP and comparable with HBP, but older age affected the difference between unattended AOBP by patients and HBP.