Which Factors Influence the Accuracy of Home Blood Pressure Measurements?

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1996

Description

The purpose of this study was to determine which factors affect the accuracy of blood pressures measured by patients using their own equipment. 91 patients were solicited through a general internal medicine practice, newspaper, television, and radio ads to participate in the study. Participants completed a written questionnaire regarding their own blood pressure monitoring. Blood pressures were recorded first by the patient using their own equipment and subsequently by a trained technician using a mercury sphygmomanometer. Results were considered accurate if both the systolic and diastolic pressures recorded by the patient were within 10 mmHg of the technician's recording. Data were analyzed using chi square. Two-thirds of the participants recorded accurate blood pressures using their own equipment. The following factors were examined: instrument type, instrument cost, instrument age, patient educational level, whether or not the patient received instruction in use of the equipment, whether or not the equipment had been calibrated. None of these factors showed a significant relationship with blood pressure accuracy. The power to detect differences of 25% or more varied from 60% to 80% for the different variables with the exception of educational level for which the power was only 40%. In this study of educated patients motivated to participate in a study of blood pressure measurement accuracy, one third were not able to record an accurate blood pressure. No factors could be identified which predicted the ability to record accurate blood pressures with home blood pressure equipment. In a general population inaccurate measurements by patients may be even more frequent. We suggest physician oversight of home blood pressure monitoring.

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