Why Blood Pressure Should Be Checked in Both Arms
Gaps between the numbers indicate higher health risks
Differences in blood pressure between a person’s arms can indicate increased health risks. A large new study not only confirms that fact but reveals that the bigger the difference, the greater the odds of a heart attack, stroke or other deadly cardiovascular event. Because doctors and nurses don’t always check both arms, feel free to ask them to.
Blood pressure, which indicates how hard the heart has to work, is measured by two numbers. The upper measure (systolic) marks the maximum pressure during the repeat pulses from the heart; the lower figure (diastolic) represents minimum pressure. When the top number exceeds 130 or the bottom number exceeds 80, a person is said to have hypertension, also called high blood pressure. Hypertension, often referred to as the “silent killer,” raises the risk of premature death from several afflictions, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
A 2014 study of 3,900 U.S. adults found those with at least a 10-point difference in the top number from one arm to the other were 38% more likely to have a heart attack or some other cardiovascular event during a 13-year period.
The new research, published December 21 in the journal Hypertension, involved a review of…
