Not all blood pressure measurements are created equal. Accurate measurement is vital to confirm diagnosis of high BP in patients and provide proper treatment. But why should doctors care about being retrained to measure BP accurately?
To help address the gap in BP measurement accuracy, the AMA and American Heart Association launched an online module that provides an engaging and interactive opportunity to refresh skills. Powered by Target: BP, the online module, Achieving Accuracy: BP Measurement, creates a comprehensive and standardized training approach to help ensure that every health professional in the U.S. is competently trained to measure BP consistently and accuratelyevery time.
Kate Kirley, MD, a family physician and director of chronic disease prevention at the AMA, recently took time to debunk some myths around BP measurement training and the importance of standardized training across the care team.
There are plenty of guidelines saying that we should be screening all adults for high blood pressure, said Dr. Kirley. Even a young, healthy person who looks like their blood pressure should be fine canand sometimes doeshave hypertension.
Accuracy really matters in all peoplefor screening reasons, for obtaining an accurate diagnosis, and for making sure your treatment is working appropriately, she added.
BP retraining is not only important for those who take blood pressure measurements every day, such as medical assistants, but for the entire care team, including doctors and physician assistants.
What we saw when we did retrain all of these health care professionals is that everyone came out of the training saying, It was good that I did this. I needed that, said Dr. Kirley. She added that many health professionals also greatly appreciated the training as a reminder about things they felt they already knew.
A common assumption is that recommendations about proper BP measurement technique have remained the same. However, new guidelines exist to provide further guidance for how to properly measure blood pressure.
Studies have been done over the course of many decades that have caused us to refine what the important steps are, and our understanding of how doing a step wrong impacts blood pressure, said Dr. Kirley.
It is recommended that health professionals take more than one BP measurement and average them. However, there is a concern that this will add more time to an already busy schedule.
When the team measures properly, it might add a couple minutes, said Dr. Kirley. But when implemented properly, the practice of taking multiple BP readings probably saves time. We waste time when a doctor reviews a BP measurement and thinks it cant be accurate, then they are taking time out of their visit to remeasure. In turn, this can cause the white coat effect, which leads to unnecessary medication adjustments.
Doing it right the first time can save timeor at least not add timewhile improving trust inaccuracy of the measurement, she said.
People really believe that manual blood pressure measurement is the gold standard. But that is only true with research nurses trained to conduct research-quality blood pressures, said Dr. Kirley. Using calibrated and validated automated machines can cut down on some of the user error that happens.
Many people might also assume that if youre using an automated machine you dont have to worry about any errors in BP measurements.
All of those positioning steps and preparing the patient matter enormously. That is why retraining still is really important no matter what type of measurement device you use in your office, she said.
A medical assistant or nurse will typically check the patients BP and a primary care physician or physician assistant will retake it if the reading seems off or if there is a critical diagnosis associated with the measurement.
All of that really points to the importance of everyone on the team knowing what the standard of accurate blood pressure measurement is and being able to perform to that standard equally, said Dr. Kirley. Medical assistants and nurses do tend to be the people taking blood pressure most often in the office and that is what we want. Thats because when doctors take blood pressure, we are much more likely to cause a stronger alerting response or cause the white coat effect because we make people nervous.
When physicians understand that their fellow team members are following the standard, they can trust the measurement being taken and wont feel the need to retake it.
Follow this link:
Debunking 7 myths associated with BP measurement training - American Medical Association
- Hypertension: Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology - Medscape Reference - April 10th, 2018 [April 10th, 2018]
- High blood pressure (hypertension) - Symptoms and causes ... - May 18th, 2018 [May 18th, 2018]
- 10 Causes of Hypertension - A Diet High In Salt Content - June 21st, 2018 [June 21st, 2018]
- Homeopathy Hypertension Remedies | High Blood Pressure ... - July 5th, 2018 [July 5th, 2018]
- European Society of Hypertension - July 7th, 2018 [July 7th, 2018]
- List of High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Medications (259 ... - July 26th, 2018 [July 26th, 2018]
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Charts, Symptoms, Diet ... - September 2nd, 2018 [September 2nd, 2018]
- Vitamin D and hypertension - September 8th, 2018 [September 8th, 2018]
- 2014 Guideline for Management of High Blood Pressure - September 29th, 2018 [September 29th, 2018]
- Essential hypertension - Wikipedia - September 30th, 2018 [September 30th, 2018]
- Hypertension Treatment & Drugs | Hypertension Causes ... - September 30th, 2018 [September 30th, 2018]
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) - October 13th, 2018 [October 13th, 2018]
- Hypotension - Wikipedia - October 30th, 2018 [October 30th, 2018]
- Hypertension | pathology | Britannica.com - October 30th, 2018 [October 30th, 2018]
- Hypertension | Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine - November 10th, 2018 [November 10th, 2018]
- 2014 Guideline for Management of High Blood Pressure - JAMA - November 18th, 2018 [November 18th, 2018]
- Pharmacologic Treatment of Hypertension in Adults | Annals ... - November 18th, 2018 [November 18th, 2018]
- 10 Causes of Hypertension - High In Salt Consumption - November 29th, 2018 [November 29th, 2018]
- High blood pressure (hypertension) - Diagnosis and treatment ... - November 29th, 2018 [November 29th, 2018]
- High Blood Pressure Symptoms - Hypertension Symptoms - December 9th, 2018 [December 9th, 2018]
- Hypertension - Medscape Reference - December 21st, 2018 [December 21st, 2018]
- Hypertension - Lab Tests Online - December 21st, 2018 [December 21st, 2018]
- High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): Symptoms ... - OnHealth - December 21st, 2018 [December 21st, 2018]
- High Blood Pressure | Hypertension | MedlinePlus - December 27th, 2018 [December 27th, 2018]
- Hypertension - Wikipedia - December 27th, 2018 [December 27th, 2018]
- Hypertension: Causes and Risk Factors - verywellhealth.com - January 1st, 2019 [January 1st, 2019]
- Hypertension - Genetics Home Reference - NIH - January 20th, 2019 [January 20th, 2019]
- Hypertension: Nursing Care Management and Study Guide - April 7th, 2019 [April 7th, 2019]
- High blood pressure (hypertension) Disease Reference Guide ... - April 7th, 2019 [April 7th, 2019]
- Pulmonary hypertension - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - September 14th, 2019 [September 14th, 2019]
- Incident Hypertension Associated With Continuous NSAID Use in Ankylosing Spondylitis - Rheumatology Advisor - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- The innovative new ways scientists are tackling high blood pressure - Noted - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- If You Have High Blood Pressure, You May Be at Higher Risk for This Cancer - msnNOW - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- MODERATO II Study: Cardiac Neuromodulation Significantly Reduces Systolic Blood Pressure - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- Kidney-heart connection is focus of upcoming HealthyLife seminar - Times Union - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- High blood pressure: Six foods proven to lower your reading - Express - October 14th, 2019 [October 14th, 2019]
- Sepetaprost Effective and Safe in Glaucoma, Ocular Hypertension - Monthly Prescribing Reference - October 14th, 2019 [October 14th, 2019]
- India, Stressed: More than Half of Commuters in Metro Cities Likely to Commit Road Rage - News18 - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- University College London Awarded 1M to Advance Heart, PH Research Using Computational Biology - Pulmonary Hypertension News - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- One in 10 children on the verge of heart attack risk - The New Daily - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Healthy living: Salt and hypertension - Forbes India - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- The global blood pressure (BP) monitoring devices market size is expected to reach USD 2.47 billion by 2026 - GlobeNewswire - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Vitamin D Deficiency And Hypertension: Is There A Relation Between Low Levels Of Vitamin D And High Blood Pressure? - NDTV News - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Hypertension in Indians - Forbes India - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Health: Worrying rise of hypertension in Indians - Forbes India - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- More than 1100 health care organizations earn BP-control honor - American Medical Association - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Medication Adherence In Patients With Arterial Hypertension: The Relat | PPA - Dove Medical Press - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- High levels of stress increase hypertension risk in black individuals - Healio - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Dapagliflozin Receives FDA Approval for Reducing Heart Failure Hospitalization Risk - Endocrinology Advisor - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- Death of Clay County inmate prompts change in housing for inmates with specific medical needs - FirstCoastNews.com WTLV-WJXX - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- New OPSUMIT (macitentan) Data Show Initial Combination Therapy with Tadalafil Improved Hemodynamic Clinical and Functional Parameters in Patients with... - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- High Blood Pressure: Why salt is considered a harbinger of hypertension? - PINKVILLA - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- Chronic Stress in African-Americans Linked to Hypertension - TCTMD - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- Why all the fuss around hypertension? - Firstpost - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- Study explores why Caribbean adults have higher hypertension rates - Yale News - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- Hypertension in adults: summary of updated NICE guidance - The BMJ - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- Diabetes, blood pressure and cancer cases are rising rapidly in India - Times of India - November 2nd, 2019 [November 2nd, 2019]
- Is there a link between breastfeeding and diabetes - Medical News Bulletin - November 2nd, 2019 [November 2nd, 2019]
- High Blood Pressure: Lower hypertension by eating less of these food groups - PINKVILLA - November 2nd, 2019 [November 2nd, 2019]
- Chronic high blood pressure in pregnant women on the rise - MahoningMatters.com - November 2nd, 2019 [November 2nd, 2019]
- Unhealthy Lifestyle and Indian Ethnicity Tied to Hypertension - Forbes India - November 2nd, 2019 [November 2nd, 2019]
- Cardio Round-up: Walkability and CVD; Pollution and Stroke; and More - DocWire News - November 2nd, 2019 [November 2nd, 2019]
- Hypertension Tied to Over One-Third of Population-Attributable CVD Risk in U.S. Black Adults - DocWire News - November 2nd, 2019 [November 2nd, 2019]
- This Is What Makes Oats Idli An Ideal Breakfast For A High Blood Pressure Diet - NDTV Food - November 11th, 2019 [November 11th, 2019]
- Global Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Therapeutics Market 2019-2023 | Evolving Opportunities with AbbVie Inc. and Astellas Pharma Inc. |... - November 11th, 2019 [November 11th, 2019]
- Severe Hypertension Common in aHUS Patients and Soliris Effective at Treating Them, Study Finds - aHUS News - November 11th, 2019 [November 11th, 2019]
- Overhydration Is a Risk Factor for Post-Dialysis Hypertension - Renal and Urology News - November 11th, 2019 [November 11th, 2019]
- In AS, Hypertension Risk Linked to Continuous NSAID Use, Study Says - Ankylosing Spondylitis News - November 11th, 2019 [November 11th, 2019]
- Physicians, Patient Discuss Intentional Nonadherence in Hypertension Therapy - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network - November 11th, 2019 [November 11th, 2019]
- More than 50,000 suffer from diabetes, nearly a lakh from hypertension - The Indian Express - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- Cause of John Witherspoons untimely death revealed - TheGrio - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- This Hyderabad-based Start-up is Helping Corporates Improve the Health of their Employees - Entrepreneur - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- ER visits jumped after valsartan blood pressure medication recall, study says - CBC.ca - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- The ALK-1/SMAD/ATOH8 axis attenuates hypoxic responses and protects against the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension - Science - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- Health screenings given to raise awareness at West Philly barbershop - The Philadelphia Tribune - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- Blood pressure monitoring must be a part of a diabetic's routine - Gulf News - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- Early Warning Signs of CKD Going Unnoticed in Veterans, Especially Those With Hypertension - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- The Epidemic of Hypertension and Vulnerability of Indians - Forbes India - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- Knowing the facts: Hypertension vis-a-vis Lifestyle - Forbes India - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]
- Heart hormones that affect development of diabetes, hypertension differ in African Americans and whites - UAB News - November 14th, 2019 [November 14th, 2019]