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Is the blood pressure in your right arm different
from that in the left? If so, you are more prone to heart disease and
stroke.
A new Lancet study, published on Monday, says differences in
systolic blood pressure between arms could be a useful indicator of
likelihood
of vascular risk and death.
The study reviewed 28 papers covering difference in systolic blood
pressure between arms. It found significant evidence to suggest that a
difference of 15mm Hg or more was associated with 2.5 times increased
risk of peripheral vascular disease (narrowing and hardening of arteries
that supply blood to the legs and feet). The risk of peripheral vascular
disease was also increased at a difference of 10mm Hg or more.
OUT OF ARM’S WAY
A gap of 15mm Hg or more (in the two arms) linked with 2.5 times
increased risk of peripheral vascular disease
1.6 times increased risk of cerebrovascular disease
60% increased risk of mortality
Findings suggest both-arm BP checks should become standard practise
Early detection of PVD crucial to cut down mortality
A new Lancet study, published on Monday, says differences in
systolic blood pressure between arms could be a useful indicator of
likelihood of vascular risk and death.
A difference of 15mm Hg or more in systolic blood pressure between
arms suggests 1.6 times inceased risk of pre-existing cerebrovascular
disease (affecting the blood supply to the brain and often associated
with cognitive issues such as dementia) and a 60% increased risk of
mortality, according to a study published in Lancet.
The findings bolster support to the calls for both-arm blood
pressure checks to be performed as standard. Dr Anoop Misra, chairman of
Fortis’ Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and
Endocrinology, said, “This is an interesting finding. Usually, we check
the BP of a single arm. Only in case of diabetics, we check BP in both
arms and legs. Thirty per cent of patients in India show a 10 mm Hg
variation between both the arms. Checking BP in both arms is a simple
exercise, and can be followed.”
Cardiologist Dr K K Aggarwal, who is the president of Heart Care
Foundation of India, said, “Whenever a patient visits us for the first
time, we check the BP in all the four limbs. The BP of lower limb should
ideally be more than the upper limb. If it is less than upper limb, it
is indicative of blockages in leg arteries and if the BP difference in
two arms is more than 15 mm Hg, it is indicative of blockages in the arm
artery. Blockage in the arms is associated with blockages in the brain
vessels and heart arteries.”
Dr Christopher Clark from the University of Exeter Peninsula College
of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD), who led the Lancet study, said, “We
set out to investigate whether there was an association between
differences in systolic blood pressure between arms and vascular disease
and mortality. Our findings indicate a strong association, and that
differences of 10mm Hg or 15mm Hg or more might help to identify
patients who are at risk and who need further vascular assessment.”
The authors note that early detection of PVD is important because
interventions to promote smoking cessation, lower blood pressure or
offer statin therapy can reduce mortality. Most cases, however, are
clinically silent, and gold-standard non-invasive identification of this
disease requires detection of a reduced ankle-brachial pressure index
(ratio of BP in ankle to BP in arm) at rest or after a stress test.
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